PUR - Cintron wants Puerto Rico job

SAN JUAN (FBPUR) - Manolo Cintron has confirmed his intention to apply for the vacant position of Puerto Rico coach in the coming days.

The Puerto Rican Basketball Federation (FBPUR) is seeking a coach to lead the national team through what will be a crucial year as they will play in a series of international tournaments, most notably the FIBA Americas Championship in Las Vegas. That tournament has two berths available for the 2008 Olympics.

The national team has been without a head coach since Julio Toro stepped down following the FIBA World Championship in Japan last year.

Toro recommended Cintron as his replacement, having employed him as his assistant for six years.

"I am the available candidate, qualified for this job," Cintron told the El Vocero newspaper.

"Either this week or next, I will hand in all the required documents to the federation to complete my application.

Cintron coached the under-21 team to gold in the Central American and the Caribbean Sport Games in Cartagena, Colombia.

Cintron commented that in his plans, there are some of the players who were in that championship, such as Jose Juan Barea, Angel "Buster" Figueroa, Filiberto Rivera, Angelo Reyes and Alejandro "Bimbo" Carmona.

Prior to the FIBA Americas Championship, which starts in August, Puerto Rico are scheduled to play the Tournament of the Carib and the Pan American Sport Games, in Rio de Janeiro.

PA Sport