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Valour's Themi Antonoglou -- photos by Cameron Bartlett
“We’ve got a core coming back, players that gave a lot to the team last year and found stability in the second half of the season.”
January 16, 2025
Ed Tait
by
Ed Tait

It was earlier this week and Phillip Dos Santos was set up in the Valour FC offices dutifully scribbling player names on a whiteboard. And while doing so there ws an obvious excitement and enthusiasm at the roster coming together before his eyes.

Valour GM and head coach has been busy since the conclusion of the 2024 Canadian Premier League season last fall, and the names locked in for 2025 have him excited for what is ahead. There’s also still work to do before the players begin arriving early next month before medicals on February 15th and the opening of camp.

“We’re always looking to improve every sector,” said Dos Santos in a conversation with valourfootball.club. “We’ve got a core coming back, players that gave a lot to the team last year and found stability in the second half of the season. We’re now looking at adding more depth to the team and elevate the quality of our roster.

“We’re still looking to solidify the back line, add one or two midfielders that will add a different component to our game, more attack-minded and see the play forward a bit more. You look at the addition of (Kris) Twardek and the return of Kian (Williams), we gain versatility when it comes to attacking the opposition.

“We’re also looking at adding another player to our midfield to add to the return of guys like Safwane (Mlah), (Raphael) Ohin, Diogo (Ressurreicao) and Dante (Campbell). We’re looking at another attacking piece.”

On Thursday the club picked up the 2025 option on fullback Themi Antonoglou — the team’s best player in ’24 — with that announcement coming just days after the team brought back centre back Rocco Romeo after his two seasons in Vancouver, while adding former York United goalkeeper Eleias Himaras last week.

“It’s the second season we’ve been looking at him,” said Dos Santos of Himaras. “He’s a player we like, a player that has international experience at the U-17 age group that played in the World Cup with Frankie (Facchineri). I like his profile and what he brings to the game. Very good distribution, good frame for a goalkeeper. All he’s needing is an opportunity. Last year he didn’t see the field because of (Thomas) Vincensini (who played in every game) and he was frustrated and that might have led to him coming here.

“He’s going to be a good one to push Jonathan, who will need the relief. It’s going to be a healthy battle from Day 1.”

Next on the to-do list is to continue to add more depth and sign some U-21 players to which Dos Santos added, “we’ve identified a few targets that we’re working on.”

Critical for the club was adding an experienced centre back to line up alongside Facchineri, especially with Mourdoukoutas moving on, and Dos Santos was ecstatic to bring back Romeo. The feeling, it turns out, is mutual.

“The vision Phil has for the team was really attractive to me,” said Romeo. “Plus, having worked with him and the coaching staff before offered a sense of comfortability to me. I know how he wants to play the game, his philosophy, and it just seemed like the right place for me to go. I’m pretty happy opportunity has come knocking again for me to represent this club and Winnipeg.”

Romeo was a huge Kobe Bryant fan and brings his ‘Mamba Mentality’ approach to training and match day. He’s also soon turning 25 and with a vastly more polished game than when he first came to Winnipeg. What the Valour coaching staff appreciates about Romeo is desire to come to work every day and his appreciation for being where his feet are planted.

“When I was in Denmark one of my old coaches, after I left on loan for the first time, said he really believed that in the football world, athletics or anything in life you always come around the same people twice,” Romeo said. “I’m very blessed and fortunate to come back and work with Phil and some of my old teammates again. I give immense amount of respect and gratitude to Vancouver for giving me the opportunity they did to be a part of their history and a club that just joined the CPL in 2023. I leave on good terms and now this is sort of like a homecoming for me.

“At the same time, I’m coming back for redemption. We’ve been very close to making the playoffs and I really think this group, plus with the new additions coming in, that Valour FC will break that barrier and be in the conversation of Top 4 in the league that fights for playoffs. Being able to wake up every day and say I get to play professional football for a living is one of the greatest things in the world.

“Obviously, I have bigger dreams to achieve some day and this next return to Valour will help me do so, but every day is a blessing. I thank God I’m healthy and have been given this gift to play this game.”