Kaya FC-Iloilo’s Irish head coach Colum Curtis wants the club to be fast and furious for the 2023 Copa Paulino Alcantara and the Asian Football Confederation Champions League
After Kaya’s 7-0 trashing of Loyola FC, Curtis said he would like to see more from them.
The 33-year-old coach, who led Cambodian side Vishaka FC to the Hun Sen Cup in 2020, wants his wards to remain focused on the moment and not be stuck in their championship campaign in the Philippines Football League.
“We want to have an aggressive style of play both in and out of the possession,” Curtis said.
“If I didn’t want to be a head coach, I would have just worked with youth players but the league just finished. We have a job to bring the Copa to the Kaya fans and to go to the Champions League and make a good account for ourselves as a football and the Philippines as a footballing nation.”
“The only thing I ask for the players so far is to dedicate themselves to hard work and follow their roles and responsibilities. They will get a chance to play and it will be up to them to fight for the jersey.”
Curtis will be with the team up until December as Kaya head coach Yu Hoshide will slide down as an assistant coach for the meantime.
Kaya is looking to redeem itself in the country’s premier cup competition after a stinging 2-3 loss to United City FC in the final last year.
The club is also seeking to get a win in the Champions League after losing all six matches in the group stages with this year’s draw to be held on 24 August in Kuala Lumpur.
Team captain Fitch Arboleda said the players seem to be receptive to Curtis’ instructions as they are seeking glory not only in the Philippines but also in Asia.
“He observed us in our practices games and he wanted us to run,” said Arboleda, who was hailed as the Man of the Match against Loyola.
“Coach Colum changed our tactics as we pressed as a team. Every training is good under him.”
