Zach Sukunda’s has a spot about 40 kilometres northeast of Ottawa — in Mayo, Quebec, to be exact – and it’s become a bit of a passion project whenever he isn’t busy on the soccer pitch.

“I got this place a couple of years ago and every offseason I’ve been slowly trying to make it into a home,” began Valour FC’s newest midfielder in a chat with valourfootball.club this week. “It’s a project for me. I like having projects.”

His newest project will come in Winnipeg, as the 28-year-old has signed a multi-year contract that will bring him back home to Canada and the Canadian Premier League for the first time since he was the first-ever signing of the HFX Wanderers in 2019 and after spending the last four seasons in Finland with Ekenas IF, PEPO Lappeenraanta and, most recently, with IF Gnistan.

A product of Ottawa who began his youth career with Auxerre and the Montreal Impact before stints with FC Montreal, Umea FC, Hume City and Northcote City, Sukunda brings a wealth of experience to Valour’s midfield.

He had his first conversation with Valour GM and head coach Phillip Dos Santos in late September and was more than intrigued by the sales pitch.

“It’s been in cooking for a little while,” said Sukunda. “I’m 28 now and I thought it would be a really good opportunity to use this momentum I have in my career to go to a club where last year didn’t go as planned and really try to help win something this year and help Phil, who is really invested in this project. I was sold on it after my phone call with him.

“Finland had become a second home for me. I really liked it there and my time there. I could have stayed. But I do like the idea of coming back after having been through so much in Finland with promotions and relegations and cup finals. It was just a time for a change of environment. We lost only two games all last year and it felt like I had lived the highest of highs there and I was ready to come back and get involved again in Canadian football.

“Like I said, the project is super interesting to me, and I like what Phil is trying to build. I believe in it and have had really good things about working with him. Also, Canada is home. It will always be home no matter what and there’s always a special spot in my heart for it.”

Sukunda’s addition comes in a week in which the club has also brought aboard forward Shaan Hundal, all part of a rebuild after a 2023 season that started with so much promise but ended outside of the playoff line. Both bring CPL experience and the perspective that comes from years in the professional game.

“I have a lot to give in terms of on the field leadership, off the field leadership,” Sukunda said. “I feel like I’m in my prime right now. It’s also part of why I want to come back, to hopefully display that in the Canadian league. I hope I can come in and make a big difference, not just on the field, but in the locker room in terms of taking care of the body, doing that extra work in the gym. I hope I can be a good leader by example.

“I wanted to come back and be a part of club that also believes in me. I spoke to Phil about being invested in this project and that was part of the appeal, the two-year contract, and the stability that comes with it. At my age you can’t put a number to that, it’s priceless to have the confidence of the management and the staff. That was a big selling point.

“I can be fun to deeply involve yourself in a project and help turn things around because when the team does become successful, that’s when you feel the most pride.”

Sukunda will be in Winnipeg in February for the opening of Valour’s 2024 training sessions. He’s been here before with the Wanderers and watched CPL matches and highlights whenever possible while playing in Finland.

“I saw the results, particularly in the first half of the season and saw how they were playing,” he said. “The last 5-10 games don’t reflect everything. I’ve seen some of the hate online with fans being unhappy and I understand that. It’s a process. Hopefully things will click, and this year will be the changing point.

“I’m fully sold on this project, and I can’t wait. I’m ready already for the preseason because I really like what Phil has in place. I like his style of play and the facilities there are at the top. It’s time for Valour.”