There was a supper ahead of Atlético Ottawa’s first training session of 2025 which set the tone for the season. Their coaching staff, led by the newly appointed Diego Mejía, invited the squad’s leadership out, with goalkeeper Nathan Ingham, veteran pivots Alberto Zapater and Manuel Aparicio and defenders Amer Didić and Brett Levis gathered around the table. Together, they laid the expectations for the year to come.
“He wanted to introduce himself, we had some food, we had some drink and we chatted,” Ingham told CanPL.ca. “He told us what he saw in the team, he told us what he saw talent-wise, told us some things he thought we needed to change culturally.
“He was pretty adamant about a month into pre-season that we’re going to try and fight for every trophy. His goal was to be the best team in CPL history.”
While it’s debatable if this Atlético Ottawa squad is the best the league has seen, there’s no denying they’ve had a record-breaking campaign, seasoned veterans and young players alike contributing to push for the CPL Shield. Be it striker Sam Salter, who broke the league’s single-season goals record, or the club’s whopping 8,059 U-21 minutes, 2025 has seen Mejía and his staff set new standards for the club.
The Shield, of course, is still up for grabs as Forge FC top the table with 54 points for a two-point lead with a brace of matches remaining. Mejía has yet to guide his side to any silverware. But the manner in which they’re competing for trophies feels like something unique in Canadian football given their blend of attacking panache and youth.
“No one's played football like us in league history. Whether we win the whole thing or not, I don’t think it matters. I think it’s been pretty special what this team’s done,” said Ingham.
The kids, and the club’s new possession-based philosophy, have breathed new life into Ingham’s football.
As an avid student of the game, he said he’s enjoyed being able to transition from former head coach Carlos Gonzalez’s defensive-minded tactics to the front-footed, attacking style favoured by Mejía. He also credits it for unlocking players like Salter, who struggled to find his place following the CPL’s first intra-club transfer.
“Sam’s the best example of someone who deserves success because, playing in a system the last two years where, you know ... We had Brian Wright, we had Malcolm Shaw, we had Sam, we had Rubén del Campo and no one really found success as a striker at this club. It was a nearly impossible system to play in for that guy up top and the amount of running and where you’d end up when the ball would turn over,” Ingham said.
“We get a brand new style, brand new coaching staff and because of all the work Sam put in up until that point, the opportunity presents itself and he’s ready.”
He added the brand of football, played in a 3-4-2-1 with bombing wing-backs and support for the attackers, suits Salter perfectly, allowing him to bag an eye-watering 19 goals so far this season, with the Golden Boot all but handed out. It’s also allowed the Québec-born striker to secure a free transfer to GAIS in Sweden's top division with former teammate Matteo de Brienne.
Ingham showcased his own growth this season as he’s been one of the best goalkeepers in the CPL. He sits second in the league with shots saved (76), trailing behind only Vancouver FC ‘keeper Callum Irving. He’s also second in clean sheets and has played every minute of Atlético Ottawa’s season.
The new formation, explained Ingham, meant he was going to be challenged to play more as a sweeper ‘keeper with opposition looking to play long balls behind Ottawa’s back three or relying on cutbacks. Together, with the club’s young defenders, they’ve found a way to become one of the best defences in the CPL.
“It’s about adapting,” said Loïc Cloutier, who made his professional debut this season. “The coach knows everyone at the back is great players but (it’s about) refining those little details and avoiding those small things."
Mejía’s system is based on possession, meaning an extra emphasis is placed on the centre-backs as they’re tasked with moving the ball and chipping in offensively. The fact that the current back three currently consists of Noah Abatneh (21), Cloutier (21), and Sergei Kozlovskiy (17) only adds to the uniqueness of what Ottawa’s built as young Canadians are at the forefront of their plans.
Cloutier, for instance, leads the league in total passes with 1,672.
“Diego talks about it often: this system, this model, is made for centre-backs. We touch the ball sometimes 100 times per game, all three of us. I like to have the ball, I like to take risks and help the forwards,” he said.
“At the back, we’re some of the most important players in the attack and that’s why I try to always help forwards like Ballou (Tabla,) Sam and David (Rodríguez) by being good on the ball and being brave.”
Although U-21 standouts like Abatneh, Cloutier, Kozlovskiy and Gabriel Antinoro have been revelations, they’ve been insulated by long-time professionals who know their craft.
Ingham, who became Atlético Ottawa’s first centurion this season, stressed the importance of clear leadership, which he said has been on display from staff to players since training camp.
“The job of someone like me, or (Zapater) or Manu (Aparicio) is just to kind of reiterate what’s coming from the top. It’s an easy job when you have good leadership above you,” explained Ingham.
“We can run the locker room but we’re all already moving in that same direction. When you don’t have that leadership and you’re forced to try and implement your own leadership and implement discipline, it gets really, really difficult as a player and it’s distracting and takes away from your play.”
Ingham pointed to Mejía’s handling of minutes in training camp, with many players rotating in, as a way of making his expectations clear. But it also showcased his openness to ideas and changing tactics, including when veteran defender Didić sustained a season-ending injury in May.
Yet the club didn’t miss a beat, with various centre-back combinations stepping up in Didić’s absence. The fact that the club also clinched playoffs earlier than at any time in their history while setting the CPL’s goal scoring record (53) speaks to the achievements of a group buoyed by a veteran core.
Ingham, of course, is at the heart of that core, his importance never more visible than in Atlético Ottawa’s convincing 3-0 victory over Cavalry FC in September. His last minute penalty save on Caniggia Elva earned praise from his teammates and coach post-match.
"Imagine when you have your captain defending your goal with the youngest defensive line in the history of this team, imagine how proud I feel about my captain. I think he deserves this performance. Nathan (Ingham) is not only our goalkeeper and our captain, he's a leader inside the locker room and we need to follow guys like him to try and be a better team,” Mejía said.
That trust should take Atlético Ottawa far. And it’s not something players take for granted.
“Those are pretty special things to hear, especially with his career and how high a regard I hold him in,” said Ingham. “It’s also been a long time since I’ve heard anything like that from a coach. It means a ton to me.”