Kaya FC-Iloilo’s recruiting spree is far from over.
As the team heads into today’s kickoff of the Copa Paulino Alcantara match with Loyola FC, the reigning Philippines Football League champion tapped Northern Ireland coach Colum Curtis, who played a role in a Cambodian club’s success in 2019 and 2020.
Gametime is at 5:30 p.m. at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex with Curtis assuming the lead coaching chores while relegating Yu Hoshide to the role of an assistant.
Curtis was an assistant for Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng FC, which won the Metfone C-League crown in 2019.
The following year, he was the head coach when Visakha FC bagged the Hun Sen Cup.
“Colum comes highly recommended. He worked with one of our analysts, Craig Livingston and Collum is a young coach with a lot of interesting ideas. We thought he will be the perfect guy to give us the knowledge and know-how required to succeed in the Asia Champions League stage,” Kaya team manager and media marketing director Josue Jamlang said.
Apart from a new coach, Kaya will be having seven new players in defender Justin Baas from Melaka United FC in Malaysia, goalkeeper Henri Bandeken from Mendiola FC 1991, midfielder Ricki Sendra from Recouse Capital in Hong Kong, midfielder Mark Swainston from Eastern Sports Club in Hong Kong, defender Akito Saito from Aizawl FC in India, forward Abou Sy from Stallion Laguna FC and forward Curt Dizon, who last played for Penang FC in Malaysia.
Jamlang said the club is expecting no less from the best from everybody as they gun for the Copa title and a deep run in the ACL.
“I’m extremely excited. From what I’ve seen in training so far, Kaya is going to come and play very aggressive and entertaining football. We have high expectations for ourselves because we need to perform against Asia’s best so that means our quality and our level needs to be there,” Jamlang said.
“In the Copa, we need to be producing the level we want to see in Asia’s biggest stage so we want to translate that domestically as well.”
