Louie Alas discusses how negotiations with Perpetual Help broke down

Naveen Ganglani

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Louie Alas discusses how negotiations with Perpetual Help broke down
Alas isn't sure if he'd be interested in resuming talks

MANILA, Philippines – The University of Perpetual Help Altas are currently looking for a new head coach, although their search may have already ended a few weeks back had negotiations with former Letran head coach Louie Alas not fallen apart.

Talking to Rappler on Friday, November 29, after the Alaska Aces’ win over the NLEX Road Warriors, Alas said that a deal with the university almost came to fruition until a road block was hit.

“We closed already [but], before we went to Dubai, they wanted me to decide to sign up,” Alas told Rappler in Filipino.

“It was okay with Coach Alex [Compton], but our boss, (Alaska owner) Wilfred Uytengsu, wasn’t present, so I told them, ‘Let’s wait for boss.’”

What happened? “I guess when I got back from Dubai, they couldn’t wait,” said Alas, who’s currently an assistant coach of Alaska. “We didn’t talk anymore.”

The Altas were coached by former UAAP champion head coach Aric Del Rosario from 2012-2015, making the Final Four round in the first 3 years, but never advancing to the finals.

Del Rosario, who led the UST Growling Tigers to a 4-peat from 1993-1996, leaves UPHSD with a 44-28 record.

Alas left with Alaska in the first week of November for Dubai, where they played two games against the Mahindra Enforcers and Barangay Ginebra.

“As of two weeks ago, we were negotiating for 3 weeks,” Alas said. “All the details were fine already – like my assistant coaches – but I told them, everything we talked about, it will still depend if boss Wilfred allows me.

“I wasn’t able to call for two days. They said, coach it looks like you’re not interested. I responded, ‘That’s why I’m allowing to get interviewed and we’re negotiating’ – it means I’m interested.”

(READ: Louie Alas says coaching Ateneo would be an honor)

Alas, 52, says that his “hands were tied” because he was under contract with the Aces and did not want to undermine that by accepting the UPHSD job prematurely.

When asked if he’s disappointed that negotiations broke down and conversation didn’t re-surface after, Alas answered:

“Not really, because I really believe if the job is mine, it’s mine. If they really wanted me, then maybe they could have waited for me even for just a week. From what I heard, until now, they still don’t have a coach.”

Would the 3-time NCAA champion coach (all with Letran) still be interested in resuming talks?

“I’m not sure, because, I don’t know. I’m just not sure.” – Rappler.com

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