Lewis explains Cone-like "UFL Cup attire"

Fabien Lewis chats with Aly Borromeo after Kaya's win. Ivan Saldajeno

By Ivan Saldajeno and Kevin Estrada

MANILA--Whether it's the PBA, the UFL, or the PSL, the coaches tend to wear collared shirts and denim pants or training shorts.

Incoming Ginebra coach Tim Cone began revolutionizing the coaches' kit in the top-tier cagefest by wearing business attires a la NBA coaches but minus the coat to the game, which was eventually followed by the current coaches of his former clubs Alaska and Star.

Now, Kaya mentor Fabien Lewis is restarting the necktie movement in the UFL.

On a rainy Thursday night at the start of the UFL Cup playoffs, Lewis, who began his Kaya coaching stint wearing the typical collared shirt, came into the match wearing a white long-sleeved polo and a necktie.

Asked by Dugout Philippines about his get-up, Lewis said, "I put aside the league and said to myself that I want to be a new coach for the cup, so with the new coach came the new attire. My mentality has changed. My philosophy is the same, but I am sometimes very superstitious. So I just decided to change my attire."

Kaya, the top-seeded club in the cup knockout stages, somewhat struggled in the second half of the league season under the tutelage of Lewis, who came in for Adam Reekie, and from putting a threat to Ceres' title conquest, Kaya slipped to fourth place in the final league standings.

Asked if he believes Kaya's fortunes will change with his new self, Lewis replied, "Yes, but that relies on how we play. We have to play football. If we win, we keep moving forward."

A good sign came for Lewis and his club on Thursday night when the team trounced Nomads, 10-1.

[Related Story: Kaya ousts Nomads with 10-1 mauling]

Wearing neckties in a Philippine football match was first displayed by current Loyola coach Simon McMenemy when he coached the Azkals in their breakthrough year in 2010.

Current Jeepney mentor Kim Chul-Su is also wearing neckties in the games since he handled Loyola in 2012.