Showing his speciality: Manuel Ott passes the ball during a training session. — Terengganu FC
PETALING JAYA: Filipino international Manuel Ott feels right at home in Terengganu when it comes to his taste buds.
When the 31-year-old midfielder first joined the Turtles two seasons ago, the first dish he savoured in Kuala Terengganu was Nasi Dagang.
Ott also won the locals over by eating with his hands, just like all his teammates. He recalled the experience with joy upon his return to the state for the 2024-2025 season after a one-year stint with Kedah.
‘’I love a lot of Malaysian food, especially In Terengganu. Nasi Dagang with fish and curry is just delicious, but the one dish I crave the most in Terengganu is Nasi Kerabu,” said Ott.
Ott made debut in the Malaysian League in 2021 when he signed for Melaka. A year later, he moved to Terengganu with Nafuzi Zain as the coach then.
Last year, he followed Nafuzi to Kedah but for this new season, he decided to return to familiar surroundings and ply his trade with Terengganu again - this time under Croatian Tomislav Steinbruckner.
“It’s nice to be back, to be around familiar faces and I can’t wait to get started. We have many quality players and I believe we’re capable of finishing in the top three,’’ added Ott.
For a start, he’s in good company in the midfield department where he will be ably assisted by the likes of Akram Mahinan, Uzbekistani midfielder Nurillo Tukhtasinov and Croatian playmaker Marin Pilj.
When Ott first played for Terengganu in 2022, he helped them finish second in the Super League and also qualify for the FA Cup final, where they lost to Johor Darul Ta’zim 3-1.
He hopes to replicate that feat this season and also improve on his statistics, where he scored six goals and provided three assists in all competitions.
“The year I was here, we had quite a successful season, finishing second in the league and reaching the FA Cup final. I would like to play in a cup final again and win it this time.
‘’I also hope to create and score more goals to get us there.’’
