Ahinga Selemani understands fully he has parachuted into a sticky situation, what with Valour FC desperate for both goals and wins to get back into the Canadian Premier League playoff discussion.
And the 27-year-old winger – who arrived just over a week ago – is perfectly cool with now having his boots on the ground and getting to work ASAP.
“It’s been a pretty quick week. I’m just now getting used to things because it’s been very fast,” Selemani told Valourfootball.club this week. “I’m still getting used to a few names, but it’s been nice. Everyone seems to be welcoming here and there’s a goal, obviously, to try and change some things so it’s been nice to be on board right away.
“As for the pressure, there’s always pressure in the game whether it’s at the beginning of the year or the middle or the end. I think the team knows what they need and that’s why I was brought in at this stage, but we all know what’s needed and not just from me, but everyone going forward.
“There’s more pressure now because we’re later in the season and the points are really starting to matter. But when you step on the pitch it should feel like every touch matters, every shot matters, every recovery run matters.
“Whenever you’re on the pitch it’s your job to do your job. That’s how I look at it.”
Valour added Selemani last week during the CPL’s summer transfer window, which closes next week, from One Knoxville SC of USL League One.
“I was looking for an opportunity to be back (in the CPL) and I’m just fortunate this is where I landed,” said Selemani, who will remain with Valour through this season with the club holding an option for 2024. “I’ve still been watching the league, even though I haven’t been a part of it for a while, because I’m Canadian and I wanted to keep up with what’s going on.
“Watching Valour, it’s a solid and stable team if you look at the statistics like ball possession and ball retention. There are a lot of positives and an ability to play the ball in behind, which is my strength. The coach’s ideas are very similar to my style of play – to threaten in behind.”
A product of Moncton, New Brunswick, he moved to Windsor, Ont. as a child and then to Ann Arbor, where he would later play his college ball at the University of Michigan.
He has extensive pro experience – including scoring three goals in 17 matches with Cavalry FC in 2021 – as well as stops with Ventura County Fusion of USL League two (2016), Panetolikos of Greece (2017), FC Sellier & Ballot Vlasim in the Czech Republick (2018-19), Hawke’s Bay United of New Zealand (2019-20), Lincoln Red Imps in Gibraltar (2020) and Gudja United in Malta (2022). He also represented the United States at the U-17 level in 2012-13.
His parents immigrated to Canada from the Democratic Republic of Congo and work for Habitat for Humanity – a cause which remains close to his heart.
“I’ve been fortunate to see a lot of places and I speak a lot of languages now because of that,” said Selemani. “I’ve been lucky to see the world, whether it’s playing on a team or in a tournament with the youth national teams.
“I don’t think people realize the beauty of the CPL at times. If it had been in existence earlier, maybe I wouldn’t have moved so much. Who knows? But having this option of having this top tier league in Canada and play where you’re from is so important. To be not too far from your family and do what you love to do is a really nice perk.
“Lots of guys are striving to be at another level for whatever reasons, whether it’s financial, family, etc. But this is cool to be home. Sometimes you have to go place elsewhere to truly understand and appreciate it.”
Selemani came off the bench in the 60th minute of last Saturday’s 2-1 loss to York United FC – a match in which Valour gave up two goals in the first eight minutes, rallied to get one back in the 10th minute by Kian Williams but couldn’t bury another to at least earn a draw.
The loss has the club stuck in seventh place in the standings, five back of Atlético Ottawa and sixth behind fifth place HFX Wanderers, who hold the final playoff spot.
“We’re good now. But the beginning of our week was rocky because we were hard on each other,” said Valour GM and head coach Phillip Dos Santos. “A lot of things were said in the locker room and sometimes it’s essential that things get shaken up a bit. I have no problem with that because that’s how people hold each other accountable.
“You can’t, in a game of such importance, be 2-0 down in eight minutes. Again, once we went down – and aside from five minutes at the end of the first half – have absolute control and created some very clear chances. It’s a game where if we’re not down quickly like we did we’re not talking about that result because we would have won that game.
“It’s frustrating,” he added, “and it gets on the guys because everyone expecting someone at some point to step up and do their job. There’s guys that need to step up and do better with some of the defensive actions and others that need to take away chances. It’s finding that consistency.”
‘V’ NOTES
-Valour will have F Walter Poncé available for Saturday’s match with Pacific, but centre back Andrew Jean-Baptiste – who was injured in the loss to York United – is out.