‘I feel more disappointed for the fans'

Winnipeg Free Press

23-06-2025

Valour FC head coach Phillip Dos Santos called his club's performance on Sunday a 'disaster,' and yet that still doesn't feel harsh enough.
Winnipeg's professional soccer club was smacked 5-0 at home against Forge FC, which is the third worst defeat in the franchise's seven-year history.
Valour's biggest beating came on Sept. 2, 2019, in an 8-0 shellacking at the boots of Cavalry FC. They also suffered a 7-0 drubbing courtesy of Atlético Ottawa in last year's Canadian Championship.
'We can't dwell on things… maybe in three or four days, we'll be over it and back at believing in the fact that we're gonna go play 90 minutes and it's 90 minutes to win. But everything is very fresh today,' Dos Santos told the Free Press on Monday.
'Emotionally, the group takes a hit when you take a loss like this one at home. So, obviously, we need a few days to pick ourselves up and move forward.'
Valour now sits at 2-7-2 in wins, losses and draws on the year with just eight points through 11 Canadian Premier League matches. Forge has yet to lose, as Sunday's showing pushed them to 6-0-5.
A weather delay pushed the kickoff time back half an hour. Another weather delay, owing to lightning in the area, was called in the second half.
'I feel more disappointed for the fans. They're the guys that pay money to watch us play and come with their families,' said third-year Valour midfielder Kian Williams, who hails from Leicester, England.
'It's a tough one. Me, personally, I try to give my best, and when we lose like that, I feel for them because that's who we play for. We represent the city and soccer in the city, so, when we lose games, I take it personally.'
Forge forward Brian Wright scored a hat-trick in the match's opening 45 minutes. Valour has surrendered a league-high 14 first half goals — and 26 overall — which leads all CPL clubs.
Forge, Cavalry and HFX Wanderers FC have all allowed less than 14 goals total this season.
'There's not one issue. There's a lot of issues,' admitted Williams.
'I feel right now, maybe, like, the backline and frontline are disconnected. To be honest, I don't blame the coaches, I blame us players. I take responsibility, we're the guys on the pitch and we need to try to sort it. That's how I feel. It's tough to pinpoint one thing or one person because it's a collective.'
One of the biggest issues is the inability to put the ball in the back of the net. Valour has just nine tallies so far this summer which is tied with last-place Vancouver FC for the second fewest in the eight-team circuit.
Valour managed just one shot on net on Sunday.
'I won't lie, me personally, I like to be aggressive… and that comes with taking risks, being high up on the pitch — the kind of football fans want to see — being up there and being in the other team's face,' said Williams.
'And I feel like to be that kind of team, where we're attacking a lot and creating a lot of chances, that's the type of football we need to be more consistent in playing. I feel like when that isn't happening, it's because, you know, all it takes is one or two players not being on the same page… I think it's about just being clear in everyone knowing their roles and being a team. That's the main thing, I think.'
Valour supporters have every right to be frustrated, and Williams doesn't disagree. This is an organization that is still searching for its first post-season berth, and while it is a 28-game season with still lots of soccer left to be played, the early signs are far from encouraging.
'I think it's beyond talking. There needs to be a change. I don't think talking is even gonna sort it. We need action. The fans need action,' said Williams.
'I think it's about solving it on the pitch, to be honest… I think it's about playing as a team. If there's a game plan, everyone is all in or nothing. And being accountable individually, rooting for your teammates, and just being an honest teammate. Trying your best for the team, trying your best for the fans. Play with a purpose, don't just play to play, play like it's your last game, every game.'
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Valour has the week to work on themselves as they don't return to competition until their Canada Day afternoon showdown in Halifax against the Wanderers (6-3-3). From there, they'll travel across the country to take on the Vancouver Whitecaps of the MLS to play the second leg of their Canadian Championship quarterfinal on July 9. In what was the highlight of their season so far, Valour earned a 2-2 draw against the Whitecaps in the first leg back on May 20 at home.
Valour is currently six points out of the CPL's fifth and final playoff spot with a game in hand. Their next match at Princess Auto Stadium takes place July 20 against Cavalry.
'We need to bring the players into a way where they find consistency where they're able to repeat performances and get back-to-back-to-back performances over and over again,' said Dos Santos.
'I think that's been the story of the club where you find a team that could go neck and neck with any rival and, suddenly, you go from very high levels of performance to playing a game like the one (Sunday). Margins are very small and, for us, that's the work we need to be doing. I think that's the No. 1 thing for us.'
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Taylor AllenReporter
Taylor Allen is a sports reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. Taylor was the Vince Leah intern in the Free Press newsroom twice while earning his joint communications degree/diploma at the University of Winnipeg and Red River College Polytechnic. He signed on full-time in 2019 and mainly covers the Blue Bombers, curling, and basketball. Read more about Taylor.
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