THE University of Makati Aguilas will be a competitive team in the coming Philippines Football League season.
Team owner Mike Atayde said this after the club squad announced a new coach and roster for the PFL’s coming tournament.
After placing sixth last season as the Davao FC Aguilas, the team changed its name as a school-based organization.
“Coming from sixth place, you have to rebuild. Rebuilding means, you have players who fit the position,” said Atayde, following a launch on Friday at the Buffalo Wings in Estancia, Pasig City.
New head coach Jörg Steinebrunner will call the shots, taking over from Aber Ruzgal, who left for the United States.
Steinebrunner has previously coached clubs in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Cambodia.
He captured the 2007 Singapore League Cup and a silver medal in the 2008 Singapore, with Woodlands Wellington.
His last job was with Life FC in the Cambodian Premier League last year, when they finished ninth with a 2-4-14 record.
“We want to be competitive every game, have attitude and character, be dominant in our games, and have an identity,” said Steinebrunner.
“Coach Jorg has been with us for at least four weeks. I have seen the difference here compared to our previous coaching staff and what I like about it is that he establishes discipline,” Atayde said in a press conference Friday.
Miggy Clarino, Kurt Talaroc and Jhomary Sapal are the only ones left from last year’s Aguilas team, after they finished at sixth place with a 7-4-7 win-draw-loss record.
The team roster also includes Enrico Mangaoang, Emilio Bongolan, Bryan Palpalatoc, Richard Talaroc, Guillermo Amarilla, Charles Pickering, Jhomaray Sapal, Ibrahim Adamu, Muhamad Al-Mashuri, Arnel Amita, Diego Aspiras, Rey Bukit, Issa Diallo, Boubaccar Diallo, Tomoki Fujihira, Ikume Hiruta, Imade Kaicen, David Koum and Kira Yamamoto.
