By ADRIAN STEWART CO
Kaya Futbol Club-Iloilo made changes to its squad with the acquisition of four new players and hiring of a new head coach heading into their 2023 Copa Paulino Alcantara and AFC Champions League campaigns.
The Iloilo City-based football team has announced the signing of veteran midfielders Ricardo Sendra and Justin Baas, defender Abou Sy, and experienced goal keeper Henri Bandeken.
The Argentinean Sendra has played for several squads, namely Mendiola 1991 FC, Global Cebu FC and the United City Football Club, while Baas moved to Kaya-Iloilo after his brief stint with the defunct United City.
The Cameroonian Bandeken was formerly with Stallion Laguna, Green Archers United, Maharlika FC, and Mendiola before joining Kaya as Sy was a long-time player of the Stallion-Laguna franchise.
The squad is set to unveil three more recruits in the upcoming days to make up for the departure of Tamon Horikoshi, Milad Behgandom and Dylan Nobiraki, who is set to play in Cambodia.
Aside from new players, Kaya-Iloilo has also announced the hiring of Colum Curtis as their new head coach and he will work alongside former mentor Yu Hoshide, who will serve as one of his assistant coaches.
“It’s fantastic to be here. I think that we’re going to fit well together. After my first session with the players, it’s clear to see that they’re hard workers and that they’re up for the challenge — and it’s something that I’m excited about,” Curtis said.
“Kaya being the biggest club in the Philippines, the [AFC] Champions League was a big draw for me to come here,” he said.
“Of course, there’s some big hitters for us to come up against, but it’s a challenge that the players and I must relish and will be up for,” he added.
The 33-year-old Curtis said he wants to maintain the winning attitude of Kaya-Iloilo, which recently won the Philippines Football League crown and are the defending champions of the Copa.
“The playing style I like to implement in Kaya-Iloilo is something that’s been ingrained in me since I was young,” the Belfast-born Curtis said.
“I like to win. I like to win games with Kaya,” he said.
“Of course, the Champions League is going to prove a bit more difficult than any games I’ve played previously as a player or a coach, but we’re not going to play just to try and survive. We want to give the fans something to get excited about,” he added./ASC, WDJ