Mark Torcaso on life as Philippines women’s national team head coach

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Mark Torcaso weighed in on his current tenure as an international head coach, with the Melbournian currently in command of the Philippines women’s national team.


His rise to coaching acclaim has been quite the journey. As a former player across Victoria, his first off-field role eventuated in 2001, becoming the Director of Football at St. Monica’s College Epping. His first senior position arrived in 2009, where he would manage the women’s team at Bundoora United FC. The late 2000s and early 2010s mirror the current busy schedule that the Monacan possesses.

Between 2009-2012 Torcaso managed the FFA Futsal Championship Youth Girls side. Within a similar timeframe, Torcaso also acted as a goalkeeper coach for both Melbourne Victory, and the Australian international women’s.

Calder United acquired his services in 2016 as their Senior Director of Football. Throughout his ongoing tenure, the Keilor-based contingent has basked in success. They won their maiden NPL Women’s title in 2016 while claiming its first Nike F.C. Cup the year later. Since their initial cup win in 2017, United went on to retain the trophy in five consecutive editions of the competition. The fruitful spell influenced by Torcaso did not go unnoticed as he would land his first major coaching contract with Western United’s Women’s side in 2020.

Attributing his current position to his past, Torcaso provided insight to the moment he found out he was becoming an international coach.

“It was a phone call late on a Friday evening, that I honestly didn’t believe was real. I sat there and said to my wife that I had just been offered the Philippines National team job,” he said.

“We were speechless. I returned the phone call and within a few days I was on a plane to Sydney to finalise the contract.”

Since being in the driver’s seat for the Philippines national side, Torcaso delved into his greatest recent memories.

“So far in our short time we have been lucky enough to play and compete in some brilliant games of football,” he said.

“I would say making the quarter finals in the Asian games was a huge moment, as well as playing in front of 60,000 people in Perth for an Olympic qualifier – although the result wasn’t great.

“Another really pleasing thing is seeing this team constantly grow. Each window we have, we are constantly getting better and better with how we want to play and want we want out of it.”

Furthermore, Torcaso opened up on the perception of football in the Philippines.

“Having been born and raised in a country like Australia where our number one sport isn’t a worldwide one, and then seeing how sports like football and basketball are massive in a country like Philippines makes me see that our game, the world game, is truly global,” he said.

“The Philippines is a highly populated country and has so many more around the world. The game is always evolving and with so many Filipinos migrating abroad, they are still so proud of their motherland, or their connection to it from a parent or grandparent. They are passionate people, but are also very understanding.

“They are peaceful, and very connected to their culture and religion. The game can grow, and needs to grow, which should be the case in every country.

“No country in the world should stay stagnant, especially in football. Everything around us is moving too quickly, and if you don’t keep up or stay on top of it, you will fall behind.”

Finally, when asked if Australia could perhaps take a leaf out of the Philippines book in terms of gaining an advantage within the sport, Torcaso described that every country should learn from others as much as possible.

“Not any country is perfect, but many have ways that can help each other,” he said.

“The one thing I can say about the Philippines and football as a whole is that there are many places to play and opportunities for it.

“As the Philippines have such a huge population abroad, they take full advantage of that. It doesn’t matter if you’re half or not born there – if you have it in your blood, then you’re Filipino. That is so powerful. Filipinos are very proud of their country, no matter what.”

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New ‘Unfiltered’ Episode with Paul Klisaris and Oscar Yildiz

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Image Credit: One-Nil Media

The ‘Unfiltered’ podcast by Soccerscene promises honest, thought-provoking conversations about football culture, identity and the stories fans don’t usually hear in mainstream coverage.

In the latest episode, Mihaila Kilibarda sits down with passionate councillors Paul Klisaris and Oscar Yildiz to debate the role of policy in shaping infrastructure, career opportunities and on-field success in the Australian football landscape.

From exposing flaws in policy making, to critiquing the A-League, Paul and Oscar discuss the future trajectory of football in Australia. With strong views on the disconnect between decision-makers and grassroots communities, this is an unfiltered look at the issues holding the sport back—and the urgent need for change.

“Bring back Preston, bring back South Melbourne, bring back that culture into the game. There was nothing wrong with that. Bring it back. Regulate it better, police it better, like they have in Europe. There is rivalry and that’s healthy!” says Paul Klisaris in this episode.

Oscar Yildiz agreed that “We might need to throw a bomb. There is no incentive for clubs to aspire to. You know, you can finish last and still stay in the league. They need to have people from state, from federal, people, again, who know the game, who genuinely know the game. And, it means understanding the politics around the game.”

Listeners can expect Unfiltered to go beyond match reports and transfers. Each episode will dive into the ideas, people and cultural forces that make football one of the world’s most compelling sports. Episode 2 is available now, hoping to challenge, entertain and inspire.

Listen now on Spotify: 

With Unfiltered, Soccerscene is giving fans a space to think, feel and debate about the game they love. Further, it is encouraging conversations that are as engaging as the football itself.

Stay tuned for future episodes, featuring more voices shaping the beautiful game.

Beyond the Pitch: Miyuki Kobayashi on the Real Challenges Facing Japan’s Women’s Game

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Image credit: JEFUNITED

Last week, Soccerscene spoke to pioneer of women’s football in Japan, Miyuki Kobayashi, about the game’s development in Japan and the intersection between sporting and social change in the country.

 

Talent, quality and recent silverware

After Japan’s recent AFC Women’s Asian Cup victory in the final against Australia, the women’s national team solidified its standing as the No.1 team in Asia.

Throughout the last 15 years, Japan’s women’s national team has grown into a formidable opponent, boasting a World Cup trophy, an Olympic silver medal, as well as three AFC Women’s Asian Cups.

The talent is undeniable. The quality is unwavering. And the team shows no signs of slowing down.

But these victories and trophies on the world stage wouldn’t be possible without the leaders behind the scenes – none more so than Miyuki Kobayashi, former WE League Board Member and current JEF United Ladies Scout and Academy Chief.

 

Laying the foundations

Kobayashi has led the charge for women’s football in Japan, promoting not only a sport which values success, but one which empowers female footballers across the nation.

“At university, not many girls were playing and we didn’t have an official team. I went to the US and the environment was so different,” Kobayashi explained.

“That opened my eyes – women can play. That’s how I started the women’s soccer league when I came back: to make an environment for girls to play.”

Thus, accessibility and opportunity became driving factors behind Kobayashi’s work, not only for those on the pitch, but for those in the dugout.

“I got involved at the JFA (Japanese Football Association) to promote women’s football. We wanted to create the opportunity for women to be coaches.”

“They are coached by men all the time, so even when the top players leave the football world, they never think to be involved.”

Furthermore, as a former coach of JEF United Ladies Youth and General Manager, Kobayashi was intent on employing as many female coaches as possible. It was not merely a personnel change, but a challenge to widespread social attitudes.

“When I started to employ female coaches, the girls’ parents asked why the coach wasn’t a man. But gradually, we started to make it equal – they didn’t talk about the gender, but about the quality of the coach.”

 

The mission to empower

In 2011, the same year Japan’s women won the World Cup, the domestic league was yet to become professional. Known as the Nadeshiko League, players would work during the day and train in the evenings.

The transition from an amateur to the current professional league required time, resilience and a change in perspective.

“The sports world in Japan is more traditional – it is dominated by men,” said Kobayashi.

“If you want to make the environment even, or (want) more women to come into the (football) world, you can change the mind of the players.”

Since 2021, the WE League has embodied a sense of growth and positive change for the women’s game. In name and nature, it looks to empower players, coaches and all involved in the industry.

“I was in charge of mission achievement for women’s empowerment. We wanted to educate the players, to inspire girls and women who watch the game.”

However, the drive to empower women in football was not without backlash and challenges.

“Some people don’t like that word: ’empowerment’. It’s too strong for them. Some women really appreciate it, but it’s not easy to change the mind of society through football,” Kobayashi admitted.

 

Growing and attracting talent

Although WE League clubs are accelerating youth development and expanding pathways across U15, U18 and first team football, Kobayashi acknowledged that the overall product must improve to bring foreign players to Japan and entice homegrown talent to stay.

“Most of the national team players go to Europe or North America. I don’t say it’s a problem, but from a young age, girls who can play in the WE League want to go abroad,” Kobayashi outlined.

Indeed, when looking at the starting XI in last month’s AFC Women’s Asian Cup final, only one player – Hana Takahashi – plays in the WE League.

But the key to attracting domestic and international players to the WE League, is aligning financial investment and industry attitudes.

“The reason why women’s football has developed in European countries is the social thinking – you have to be equal and have the same opportunities as men in football. The Japanese way of thinking, especially in the football world, is not that at all,” Kobayashi continued.

“When I speak to people at Spanish clubs, women’s football is not a charity, but an investment.”

“We have assets. We have good, young players, but we’re exporting them, so we need to import too.”

Indeed, Spain is a perfect example of what can happen when investment becomes intentional, not optional. Back-to-back UEFA Women’s Nations League titles, 90% television viewership increase since 2016, and record-breaking crowd numbers reflect what can happen when the industry aligns in vision and commitment.

Japan has the players to compete against any nation in the world. Purposeful investment, combined with its overall quality of players and style, could transform the WE League into a true, global powerhouse.

 

The vision for the future

Moving forward, Kobayashi hopes that girls progressing through JEF United’s academies develop confidence and resilience, whether as players or people.

“We want to make the girls – even if they aren’t in JEF United – continue playing football and continue to be leaders,” Kobayashi said.

“Some of them have a dream to be a coach or a leader off the field too, so that’s one of the attributes we want to develop.”

This resilience, reflected by the club’s ‘never give up’ philosophy, is testament to the vision of empowerment championed by Kobayashi across the women’s game.

Even in the face of social obstacles and a lack of financial investment, perseverance and hard work is at the bedrock of women’s football in Japan. It is not just that these values exist, but that they are consistently manifested on and off the pitch, which can show future generations that football is a sport for all – men and women alike.

 

Final thoughts

There is no limit to what the WE League and the national team can achieve if given the resources it deserves. All the ingredients are there: individual quality, a distinct playing style, football philosophy and ambitions to grow.

By following the example of industry leaders like Kobayashi, women’s football in Japan can hopefully continue to make waves of impact – in the sporting landscape and society as a whole.

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