Kaya FC–Iloilo Welcomes Three Additions While Kaya FC–Iloilo will welcome three players players to the roster, none are really new to the team.
Lost in the disappointment of last Saturday’s defeat against Stallion Laguna, was the excitement behind three “new” additions to the squad. Serge Kaole, the all-around Cameroonian, played his first competitive 90 minutes in a long time, while promising Filipino prospect, Arnel Amita, featured in the final 20 minutes. Former Kaya B-Team and First Team player, Audie Menzi, also returned to the lineup, although he remained an unused substitute.
With the Philippines Football League transfer window opening on July 16, all six clubs in the PFL have been busy bolstering their ranks. But while there have been big splashes and squad overhauls among the other teams, Kaya FC–Iloilo has maintained a relatively lower profile. Kaole is the club’s solitary signing in the window so far, with former FEU stars Amita and Menzi merely being activated after agreeing to terms earlier in the season.
Interestingly, none of the three are really new to the Kaya setup. Audie Menzi, whose brother Mike Menzi has featured in several matches already this season, was actually a first team player for the club back in 2016, when Kaya was still competing in the now defunct United Football League. His command at the back was seen as the future for the club’s defense, but his decision to play out one more year in the UAAP meant he missed the 2017 campaign. Instead, alongside his brother, he played a key role in winning the WFL title for the club’s B-Team. With his college career now in the rearview mirror, the young defender, who has been tipped by Chris Greatwich to be a future Philippine international, is ready to bolster the club’s defense.
“Excited na ako makalaro ulit, at maging part uli ng Kaya team,” said Menzi. “Ang goal ko ngayon, [maibigay] kung ano man ang matutulong ko sa team para makapasok kami sa AFC [Cup]. I hope na mag-improve pa ko, at makalaro ng maraming games, and hopefully makalaro sa AFC.”
(“I’m excited to get to play again, and to be a part of the Kaya team once more,” said Menzi. “My goal now, is to give what I can to help the team so we can qualify for the AFC [Cup]. I hope that I improve some more, play a lot of games, and hopefully get to play in the AFC.”
Serge Kaole, who plied his trade in Cameroon’s top flight before transferring to Stallion FC, then Global FC, actually trained with the Kaya squad before the 2018 campaign officially started. His ability to play just about every position on the pitch made him a valuable asset in practice sessions and friendly games. Although rated very highly by the coaching staff, he was ultimately left unsigned when the 2018 season got underway. With the injury to Jordan Mintah, though, the squad had a foreigner slot open up, paving the way for Kaole’s arrival. With Iloilo currently navigating a host of injuries and suspensions, Serge provides a quality reinforcement across multiple positions.
“I’ve had a warm welcome. All my teammates are nice to me, even the staff, so I feel like I’m not a stranger to the Kaya family,” said Kaole. “We are already close now. I practiced with them in preseason, but sometimes I was there, sometimes I was not. I tried to be with them as much as I could.”
Saturday’s match was Kaole’s first competitive outing since being released by Global at the end of the 2017 season.
“It was a really nice feeling, especially when you’ve taken a long time away from the game. I’m really happy to be back on the field” he said. “Game time is really important. The good thing is that I didn’t get an injury, especially in that intensity, so after the first game, I think I will get more playing time.”
The last of the “new” faces is midfield hotshot Arnel Amita, a player that was a fixture on the club’s wishlist for several years prior to his agreement to join Kaya earlier in the season. Through his performances with FEU and the country’s youth teams, he showcased a highly coveted set of skills: immense quality on the ball, fantastic vision for a pass, willingness to take risks, and a toughness on the pitch that belied his diminutive stature. His meteoric rise was dampened, however, by an unfortunate spell with injuries. Sidelined for almost two years, “Nano” made a successful return to action in the recent UAAP season, where he featured in a handful of matches for FEU. Now fit and ready to showcase his talents against the country’s best players once again, Amita is reveling in the opportunity to prove his worth amidst staunch competition within the Kaya FC–Iloilo squad.
“Una, syempre masaya kasi after two years nakabalik ako nung last game,” said Amita on his recent Kaya debut. “Sobrang masaya kasi, dito sa new club ko nakapaglaro ako agad. Sa dami ng players and sa competition sa training [mahirap makapasok]. Sa part ko, ginagawa ko lang yung side ko na hard sa training at sa game.”
(First of all, of course I’m happy because after two years, I was able to come back in the last game,” said Amita on his recent Kaya debut. “I’m really happy because, here at my new club I got a chance to play right away. With so many players, and the competition in training, it’s hard to get playing time. On my part, I’m just doing what I can to go hard in training and in games.”)
“Feel ko nung pumasok ako kahit papano na angat ko yung morale ng team kasi, ayaw ko talaga magpatalo sa game,” he said on his substitute appearance. “Ang goals ko hindi lang para sa sarili, kundi para sa team. Syempre hindi naman agad agad makukuha yung AFC, so kailangan step by step. So every game, focus lang, and gagawin ang best.”
(“I feel like when I came on, I was able somehow to raise the morale of the team because I simply refused to lose the game,” he said. “My goals aren’t just for me, but for the team. Of course we won’t be able to qualify for the AFC instantly, so we need to take it step by step. So every game, we just need to focus and do our best.”)
