THE rise through the ranks of Asian soccer for West Belfast native Colum Curtis continues apace as he has been confirmed as the new boss at Kaya FC-Iloilo in the Philipinies.

The 33-year-old was confirmed in the role earlier this month as he takes over the national champions who will bid for Copa Paulino Alcantara and AFC Champions League glory.

Curtis, who hails from the Black's Road, is the first Irishman to coach a team in the Asian Champions League and will be the youngest coach in this year's competition.

However, if you're good enough, you're old enough and Curtis' track record in Asia over the past few years have led to his reputation as a master tactician with a penchant for attacking play.

Success has followed wherever he has gone in his coaching journey as in 2019, he was part of the coaching staff at Svay Rieng FC in Cambodia that would win the league title.

This earned him the big job at Visakha FC where he delivered the 2020 Hun Sen Cup - the first major trophy in the club's history.

The latest stop is the Philipines and Kaya where he hopes to deliver success on the big stage.

“It’s fantastic to be here,” Curtis told the club website.

“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.

“Kaya being the biggest club in the Philippines, the [AFC] Champions League was a big draw for me to come here.

“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.”

With the Kaya job the biggest there is in the Philipines, there will therefore be greater scrutiny and demands for success, especially domestically, which will be his primary ambition.

However, the former St Mary's CBGS pupil is relishing the challenge and intends to do it by implementing an attractive, attacking style.

The AFC Champions League will begin next month after the conclusion of the qualifiers, so the identity of just who Curtis and his players will tasked with facing in the East Region is yet to be determined.

Whoever, it is, the task will be great, but competition at this level is never going to be easy and the West Belfast man is looking forward to getting started.

“The playing style I like to implement in a team is something that’s been ingrained in me since I was young,” he explained.

“I like to win. I like to win games. 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.      

“Domestically, I’ve been quite clear with the players that my expectations are high.

"I want my teams to be aggressive in terms of dominating the ball, and also out of possession to win the ball high up the pitch.

“We want to win and we want to do it in a very convincing manner.”  

His tenure couldn't have began much better as at the weekend, Kaya were 7-0 winners over Loyola in the Copa Paulino Alcantara.

They dominated this game and had countless chances to make it an even bigger rout, but Curtis was happy with how things began.

“Firstly, very happy with the effort that the players put in," he said.

"Technically, there were lots of new concepts introduced within the first week of me in the role, and the players took to them fantastically.

“Not only that, they’ve done it with desire which I’m just delighted about.”