Home's Amy off to a fresh start

What a difference a year makes for Home United forward Amy Recha.

After a dismal 2017 with Geylang International, Home came knocking with an offer for him at the end of last year.

AFC CUP GROUP F

HOME UNITED

BOEUNG KET

This season, the 25-year-old has already started in all three AFC Cup matches for the Protectors and is set to make his fourth appearance when Home host Cambodian side Boeung Ket tonight.

To make his move even sweeter , Amy found himself living his childhood dream, playing alongside his idol, Home skipper Shahril Ishak.

Not bad for someone who was in the first XI only 14 times in all competitions last season. The forward is humbled by the faith that Home coach Aidil Sharin has shown in him.

Amy told The New Paper: "It's always good for any player to get a chance to play, or even start, especially in a new club.

"It's given me more confidence and I'm grateful that coach Aidil has given me the opportunity to prove myself at Home United."

Aidil believes the promising player has earned his place, although he is still experimenting to see which is his best position up front.

The 40-year-old said: "Amy has been doing very well and working very hard for the team.

"He's still young and can play wide as well, which I haven't tried in competitions.

"But we know that he can play well, because we saw him fulfil this role with the Young Lions and Geylang. Hopefully, in the S.League, he will get more chances to play in roles beyond playing off the striker."

As compared to 2016, where he scored four goals in the S.League, Amy felt that he fell short of his own expectations last year. And he had only himself to blame.

"On a club level, last season was an achievement because we finished fourth, which was our best in the last 13 years. But I didn't achieve my personal goals.

TARGET

"I had targeted to score more goals, get more playing time and maybe even a national team call-up.

"I knew I could do better, but I failed to show it on the field."

For Amy, who was one of Geylang's brightest Prime League prospects before he joined the Young Lions in 2014, and upon returning to Geylang from 2016 to 2017, a spot in the Home squad has boosted his morale tremendously.

He said: "I kept telling my parents about how I've wanted to play for Home since young, so it was an easy decision. No second thoughts about it.

"Especially playing with the likes of Shahril, Shakir Hamzah, the national players, I'm looking forward to learning a lot from them and keep improving."

Asked about teaming up with Shahril up front, the baby-faced forward grinned.

"Two years ago, during my first national call-up, I remember just standing there, watching him in awe.

"Now it's like... I'm actually playing with him. It's been really fun and it feels great."

Against Boeung Ket tonight, Home will be eyeing revenge after last week's 3-2 loss at Phnom Penh's Olympic Stadium.

Aidil admitted that his men slacked off after an early goal by Song Ui Young, as Boeung Ket fired back with three goals in the first half.

He said: "We spoke with the team and we knew that we didn't play well.

"Having collected four points in the first round of our group games, we must do better in the second.

"I've told them before that we're playing all the champions of the region and we cannot make mistakes.

"We can't be too quick to settle... we need to collect as many points as we can at home."

- ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY TAY CHECK KING