Alas Pilipinas head coach Angiolino Frigoni urged Filipino fans to pack the Mall of Asia Arena and serve as the team’s “seventh man” when they make their historic FIVB Men's World Championship debut.
Alas Pilipinas head coach Angiolino Frigoni is counting on more than just training and tactics when the 2025 FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championship begins on Friday, September 12.
The Italian tactician is banking on the Filipino crowd.
Frigoni admitted that in past international games, local fans have often cheered for powerhouse teams like Japan instead of the Philippines.
With Alas making its historic World Championship debut at home, Frigoni appealed for Filipinos to fill the Mall of Asia Arena and rally behind the national team in their opener against Tunisia.
“Sir Tats [Suzara] said he’s trying to bring 12,000 people. In my experience, when we played against Japan, Filipinos were cheering for Japan and not for the Philippines,” Frigoni said.
“So what I’m telling to the Filipinos, please come. We need you. We are going to fight together against Tunisia. Don’t let us fight alone.”
[ALSO READ: Angiolino Frigoni says Alas has ‘nothing to lose’ in FIVB World Championship experience]
For the World Championships, Frigoni will also face familiar opposition with Tunisia’s Camillo Placi, Iran’s Roberto Piazza, and Egypt’s Marco Bonitta—all fellow Italians—patrolling the sidelines in Pool A.
But the veteran mentor stressed that at the end of the day, it’s the players who decide matches.
“I don’t have any advantage against them. Maybe they have [an advantage] against me, I don’t know,” he explained.
“Coaches can do a lot, but they don’t play. They can only talk. The players have to resolve the problems on the court, not the coaches,” he added.
[ALSO READ: Everything you need to know about Pool A of the FIVB Men's World Championship]
As for his final lineup, Frigoni said he’ll inform his players first before making anything public.
“I will not tell you before I tell the players. I don’t know if Marck Espejo and Bryan Bagunas are in. They are practicing, they are back from their injuries,” said Frigoni.
[ALSO READ: Marck Espejo, Alas Pilipinas gear up for World Championship debut with hopeful mindset]
Alas Pilipinas Men will face Tunisia in the tournament’s curtain-raiser before taking on Egypt on September 16 and Iran on September 18.