Backroom staff expanded at PPC

New goalkeeping coach Dave Maguire (center) with his 1st-team keepers and assistant Chansothea

Phnom Penh Crown have been busy expanding their backroom staff. Irish Goalkeeping coach Dave Maguire (24) has joined the club as the Head Goalkeeping Coach. Prior to moving into coaching David was a professional football player with Shrewsbury Town and represented the Republic of Ireland at U-17 national level. He also had spells in the Welsh League with Newtown, Welshpool Town and Cefn Druids. Dave has both a UEFA B-License and UEFA B-License Goalkeeping award and previous positions included the Lead Foundation Phase Goalkeeping Coach and, most recently the Head of Academy Goalkeeping at English Football League club Shrewsbury Town. Academy Technical Director, Tom Legg had this to say about the arrival of Dave: “I’m thrilled to welcome Dave to Phnom Penh Crown as the new Head Goalkeeping Coach. Dave will bring a vast amount of experience to the club, both from his time as a professional footballer and most recently his roles with English League side Shrewsbury Town. He is a vastly skilled and specialist Goalkeeping coach who will work with all age groups, from our Academy U-13 up to the club's First Team. Dave will also work closely with our current club Goalkeeping Coach Nguon Chansothea to support his professional development as we look to cement the long term success of PPCFC.”

In their Academy set-up, they have announced that Scottish coach Christopher Grant (28) has joined the club in the newly-created role of U-13 Technical Coordinator. A Scottish Football Association C-License Coach, Christopher has previously worked with several professional clubs in Scotland; Cowdenbeath, Livingston and Dunfermline Athletic. In 2009 he founded one of the biggest grassroots programs in Scotland; Elite Soccer Coaching Limited that currently delivers a coaching program to over 30,000 children annually. In 2013 Christopher moved to Cambodia and established Elite Soccer Asia, a leading grassroots football program with over 8,000 children enrolled annually. In his new role with PPCFC, Christopher will be responsible for implementing the long term development plan of the Academy U-13’s and mentoring our local U-13’s Head Coach. Academy Technical Director, Tom Legg spoke of Christopher's addition to the Academy technical team: “I’m delighted to welcome Christopher to our club's growing Academy program. His arrival is a clear sign of our commitment to cementing their position as the the leading football development program in Cambodia. Christopher has extensive experience in developing young players from his time working in professional clubs in Scotland and has demonstrated his ability to adapt and achieve by the successful launch of Elite Soccer Asia in Cambodia. A key part of Christopher's role with the club will also see him work closely with our local U-13 Head Coach, passing on valuable experience and expertise. He is uniquely positioned to combine his European coaching experience with knowledge of the local football scene to help create a culture of creativity within our Academy U-13 setup."

In the Academy U-15 set-up, Cambodian coach Soeu Siha (pictured) is the club's new Under-15 Head Coach. An AFC (Asian Football Confederation) C-Licence holder, Siha is an exciting young Cambodian football coach with six years professional playing experience. The 28-year-old started his professional career in 2004 when he joined the Navy team in the Cambodian League. In recent times he's been the captain of the Daniel FC futsal team. In 2010 he began his coaching career with Chamkar Nonong FC before moving into youth development, managing a junior side from the ISF (IndoChina Starfish Foundation). Siha continued his own personal development as a coach during this time, obtaining his AFC D-License, followed by his AFC C-License. His commitment to personal development did not go unnoticed and in 2014 he was appointed the Head Coach at ISF, responsible for managing all youth coaches working with teams in the organisation. Academy Technical Director, Tom Legg had this to say about the addition of Siha to the Academy technical team: “I’m pleased to welcome Siha to our clubs' Academy technical team. A key component to the long term success of this club is in its commitment to providing opportunity and development to local coaches. Siha has spent four years learning and developing at ISF and we are thankful to them for giving him the opportunity. I’m confident in Siha’s current abilities to support the long term development of the Academy U-15’s and we will support him as he continues his own journey as a coach."

More appointments are expected soon with a new Technical Coordinator for the U-15s and a new coach, likely to be female, for the U-13's arriving soon.