OFC News

The Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) Inc., a non for profit organization, is the regional body mandated by FIFA to develop Soccer in the South Pacific.

OFC has 15 national football associations as members and is involved in international events and programmes within these 15 countries.

We are requiring an Accounts and Finance Manager (full time position).

Reporting to senior management the main duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

 - Day to day management of the accounts and finance department (only one direct report)

 - Developing financial policies, procedures and internal control

 - Month end reporting and analysis (including cash flow)

- Year end reporting and preparation of annual audit

- Budgeting and costs analysis

- Payroll

 - GST and FBT tax returns

 - Relationship management with OFC stakeholders and various departments.

- Advisory role to senior management Key skills and attributes of the successful candidate will include:

- a strong fundamental accounting background with an understanding of accounting principles and practices

– qualifications would be an advantage (open to recent graduates) but experience would be taken into consideration

 - Advanced Microsoft excel and powerpoint skills

 - Able to prepare and present well focused financial reports and data analysis

- Attention to detail and works to a high level of accuracy

- A good sense of humour with a strong team ethic

- Good communication skills and be able to work in a young and multi-cultural environment

 – requirement to learn French as part of the position.

- Be able to work under pressure and deadline in a fast paced environment.

 - A full driving license

Salary: up to NZ$50,000 per annum + company car provided depending on qualifications and experience.

To submit your application (CV + cover letter) please send an email to Frederic Guillemont, OFC Deputy General Secretary, Frederic@oceaniafootball.com - alternatively for a confidential discussion phone on 09 / 525 81 64.

(OFC website www.oceaniafootball.com )

Applications to be received no later than 15 May 2008.

Only people with the right to work in New Zealand may apply for this position.

For advice on obtaining New Zealand Work or Residence visas visit the New Zealand Immigration Service (www.immigration.govt.nz)

PORT MORESBY - Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) Technical Director Jim Selby has challenged attendees at his Coaching Instructors course to channel their enthusiasm, passion and willingness to identify the next wave of coaching talent in Papua New Guinea.

Selby recently completed a Coach Instructors course for the PNG coaches at the Papua New Guinea Football Association (PNGFA) academy in Lae, PNG.

The course started 8th April and ran for seven days with Selby working alongside a group of PNG's brightest coaching talents. The theory and practical based course was conducted to give the PNG coaches a taste of professional football coaching and to use the new found contact to help improve the game at all levels.

"This was one of the best experiences I have had in coaching within Oceania. The quality of work performed by the course participants was high and their enthusiasm excellent.

It was a joy to impart the course elements to this group and I am optimistic they will take forward what they have learned to the rest of the Papua New Guinea football family," Selby told www.pngfootball.com.pg and www.oceaniafootball.com

Papua New Guinea's recent Olympic Football Tournament performances showed the country possessed a strong base of raw talent with the men's team under George Cowie turning in some exciting displays where attacking football was the order of the day.

Unfortunately for the team that commitment to attack didn't translate into a sound commitment to defence ensuring some lopsided results were earned.

The women's international team showed a huge improvement despite losing 0-2 to New Zealand in the play-off for Beijing. New Zealand defeated Papua New Guinea 7-0 in the FIFA Women's World Cup Qualifying tournament in Lae in 2007.

This course is conducted in line with the Papua New Guinea Football Association aim to develop the technical areas of football in the country. These areas included refereeing, coaching and player development which are crucial to the improvement of the game particularly for the fledgling Telikom Cup National Soccer League (NSL) competition's continuing growth.

Vali said he was very happy with the arrangement and negotiations initiated by Waiwai, who also heads the marketing division of the club, mainly in selling players to Brisbane clubs.

Vali said while he was happy with the players playing pro football Down Under, he strongly warned them to lift themselves in discipline and commitment.

“The onus is on you. If you do well, more players are likely to follow you but if you mess up, you would shut the doors for other PNG players,” he stressed.

Queensland bound: Tau Winnie 

The franchise owner said it is a new challenge. “All of you leave the country as ambassadors of Gelle Hills and PNG,” he said. “Be diplomatic in all your actions.”

Vali said this is an initiative started by NSL and we must make full use of the opportunities that are presented.

He thanked all the stakeholders of Gelle Hills including parents, supporters, water boys and the coaching staff for their hard work in nurturing the three players to be finally recognized for their talent.

He said playing overseas on contract is a dream true. “Not every soccer player has such an opportunity.”

Vali said the departure of trio to Redland Devils is also part of a long term partnership that Hills and the Devils have established.

He said not only will the players benefit from stints with the club but officials as well, particularly the technical department of the clubs.

Waiwai said Gelle Hills does not promise its players goodies in terms of money but “we provide them football opportunities for them to go higher in their football career in line with NSL motto ëkick higher’.”

He said at least the players have now realized their dream instead of just playing in the NSL competition only.

The export of the players has raised the number of PNG players playing in Queensland State League to six. The other players are David Muta, Kema Jack (Sunshine Coast) and Alexander Davani (Brisbane Strikers)

AUCKLAND - The Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) U-12 Festival of Football has undergone a revamp and namechange for the third edition of the popular competition and will now be called the OFC Youth Festival to illustrate the cultural and educational element of the tournament.

Fiji hosted the first ever OFC Youth Festival back in 2006 with under twelve boys teams playing football at Churchill Park, Lautoka, and experiencing the cultures and language of the hosts and fellow participants. The relationships and friendships built would be one of the enduring memories of the competition as local schools "adopted" a visiting team for the duration of the tournament.

Visiting teams were welcomed by local schools and cultural exchanges were made including song and dance indicative of the part of Oceania each respective team came from.

On the pitch the action was intense but the spirit of Fair Play prevailed as the teams competed for the right to go to the Danone Nations Cup at the Stade Gerland, Lyon, France, 2006. New Zealand team United Soccer 1 won the OFC U-12 Festival of Football and took part in the then 32 team format in France playing teams from France and South Africa to name but two.

In 2007 it was Papua New Guinea's turn to host the tournament thanks to help from the French Government and its France Co-Operation programme. The French Ambassador to Papua New Guinea Mr. Patrick Boursin signed an historic Memorandum of Understanding with OFC to provide funding that offset the costs involved for teams travelling to Port Moresby.

On the pitch it was Saint Joseph's School from Port Vila that prevailed at the OFC U-12 Festival of Football - Port Moresby 2007 with New Caledonia, Solomon Islands and New Zealand all finishing hot on their heels. Vanuatu's adventure continued at the Danone Nations Cup where it finished 20th out of 40 competing teams including wins over Germany and Switzerland.

This year's OFC Youth Festival cultural component begins on May 28th, 2008 with the football tournament kick-off scheduled for May 29th. The tournament concludes at Stade Numa Daly on May 31st as a curtain raiser event to the Christian Karembeu XI vs. France '98 XI match featuring such wonderful names as Lifou-born FIFA World Cup winner Christian Karembeu, Zinedine Zidane and Fabien Barthez amongst others.

FIFA President Joesph S. Blatter will be attendance after inaugurating the New Caledonia Goal Project at Paita earlier that day capping off an exciting star-studded day for the Oceanian youngsters.

The OFC Congress is scheduled for June 1st, 2008.

Four players from "Les Cagous" at Ward Strip School, Port Moresby, 2007.

Hundreds of youngsters sit patiently awaiting the arrival of the Solomon Islands team in Port Moresby

The cover of last year's tournament programme featuring smiling faces from the OFC U-12 Festival in Fiji 2006

OFC President/FIFA Vice-President Reynald Temarii watches on as Solomon Islands team arrives

School children at Port Moresby Stadium celebrate a goal

New Caledonia and Vanuatu share the adulation of 8,000 fans on the final match day last year

CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING: A young girl from Papua New Guinea in traditional garb welcomes the teams

OFC Media interview a New Caledonia player during the educational element of the tournament in Port Moresby

At last month’s OFC Women’s Olympic Football Qualifier between PNG and New Zealand, both countries joined together to promote a host of social responsibility messages aimed at the PNG communities.

The match fell on International Women’s Day and the 3000 strong crowd were thoroughly engaged and entertained by an exciting match played out by two squads full of female role models.

The match was broadcast live across the country on EMTV and PNGFA and OFC used the opportunity to promote and stress issues of social responsibility in line with OFC’s Football for Life program.

Football for Life is an OFC Presidential programme which aims to use football as a medium to directly assist and raise awareness of key issues affecting people within the Oceania family.
 
Launched in 2007 this programme has helped deal with the Tsunami relief effort for the Solomon Islands, empowerment of women in Pacific society and at the Women’s Olympic Football Qualifier in PNG - HIV/Aids awareness and domestic violence prevention.
 
Dame Carol Kidu -  PNG’s first ever female cabinet minister - gave a pre match speech in which she talked about issues of promoting the family and importance of community in PNG and HIV awareness and prevention.
 
She also talked about the significance of the game falling on International Women’s Day and how women worldwide were acknowledging their strengths and the struggles and challenges which they have faced.
 
She also discussed the importance of football and sport in general in helping raise awareness of these issues.
 
Dame Kidu said that as well as discussing the negative social messages we need to acknowledge the socially pro-active messages and the things that we are doing well.
 
“It’s important to start promoting positive social messages also such as importance of family, importance of community and importance of grandparents.” she said.
 
“With a lot of the work I do in social development areas we are hoping to influence an incremental change in mindsets.
 
“Sporting events are a great platform to gain attention. Sport is the best way to intervene because it is something that unites people across all kind of barriers.”
 
Football is used as a tool to break down barriers, promote self-esteem, and can teach life skills and healthy behaviour.
 
Both teams gathered in front of an HIV Awareness banner before kick off and joined together to help raise the community’s awareness.
 

In conjunction with Football for Life OFC has created a dedicated account to finance various ventures to provide humanitarian relief, make financial contributions to humanitarian organizations and invest in football development and the promotion of sports related youth activities—in short, to fulfil football’s responsibility to society as a whole.
 
The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS, or UNAIDS, is the main advocate for accelerated, comprehensive and coordinated global action on the HIV epidemic.
 
UNAIDS' mission is to lead, strengthen and support an expanded response to HIV and AIDS that includes preventing transmission of HIV, providing care and support to those already living with the virus, reducing the vulnerability of individuals and communities to HIV and alleviating the impact of the epidemic.
 
Football for Life will harness the power of football to help create better standards of living for the people of Oceania.
 

PAPUA New Guinea U23 soccer captain David Muta and striker Kema Jack have been offered a season’s contract to play with Sunshine Coast Football Club in the newly-established Queensland State League.

The National Soccer League (NSL) chairman John Kapi Natto confirmed this week that the two players will leave at the end of the week when their visas are sorted out

Both Muta and Jack play for Hekari United Football Club in the semi-professional competition, the Telikom National Soccer League.

Mr Kapi Natto said he was very happy with the offer from Sunshine Coast FC.

“It is up to the players to prove their worth in the Sunshine Coast competition. Knowing both players, they will be able to cope with the pressure of playing professional football,” he said.

PNG national men’s soccer coach George Cowie, who will be coaching the club, confirmed via email to The National that these two players were offered contracts for the duration of the season or six months.

Both players will be available to rejoin Hekari before the start of the new season.

“I think it is a very good opportunity for both players and I believe they would do very well in Queensland League,” Cowie said.

He said Sunshine Coast president Noel Woodall is in contact with Mr Kapi Natto for all the necessary documentation before both players travel.

PORT MORESBY - Glamour Papua New Guinea club Hekari United FC has made it two-titles-in-a-row and thrown itself an OFC O-League chance after it defeated Gelle Hills 3-2 in the PNGFA NSL Telikom Cup Final at the weekend. Hekari's victory meant a 54,000 kina payday for the club and a possible shot at the 2008/09 OFC O-League next season.

Hekari’s prolific goalscorer Kema Jack ended the season with a hat-trick to dent Gelle Hills’ hopes of continuing their dominance over their closest neighbours.

Gelle Hills, sniffing victory in the dying minutes, nearly pulled off a miracle comeback with Papua New Guinea U-23 international striker Tau Winnie scoring his second goal and substitute Harold Robinson missing one right in front of the goal mouth and sending the fans into dismay.

Robinson’s goal could have drawn the match at 3-all and sent the game into extra time however, his shot rocketed over the crossbar taking Gelle Hills NSL Telikom Cup hopes with it.

The match was one of Gelle Hills better performances against Hekari however despite the quality of the display this was Gelle Hills sixth straight loss from six meetings against their arch-rivals.

Kema Jack opened the scoring with a fine close range header from a corner kick which left Gelle Hills goalkeeper David Aua stunned as the ball flew past him into the net.

From there, Hekari continued to attack and maintaining possession for long spells but Gelle Hills sweeper Ila Ilaita Jnr managed his side’s defence to push Hekari away from increasing its lead.

Just before halftime Gelle Hills workaholic Tau Winnie found himself in the right spot to equalise with a header from a Steven Malis cross.

Winnie took the opportunity when Hekari’s right back Lawrence Moses committed himself for a counter play and failed to recover.

The deadly finish was typical of Winnie's outstanding international form at the recent OFC Men's Olympic Football Tournament in Fiji where Winnie finished amongst the top scorers with six goals.

In the second half Gelle Hills started strongly but they were matched by the Hekaris midfield led by Andrew Lepani.

And just as Gelle Hills were beginning to find their touch, the unexpected happened, allowing Hekari to go up 2-1.

Goalkeeper Aua fumbled a shot which went right through his gloves before Kema Jack pounced to give Hekari the lead finishing easily from close range with the embarrassed Aua left a despondent figure in the six yard box.

A few minutes later substitute Abraham Ench dribbled into the Gelle Hills six yards box, attracting several defenders and the goal keeper before slipping a pass through to Kema Jack to bag his hat-trick of goals and put Hekari up 3-1.

Gelle Hills coach made a double substitution sending on Desmond Waku and Harold Robinson to try and retrieve the situation.

This move nearly paid off when Robinson crossed the ball to the unmarked Winnie who scored his second goal.

Gelle Hills were back in business as Hekari struggled to hold onto its precious 3-2 lead.

But with mere seconds remaining Robinson made a hash of a gilt-edged chance that ultimately proved a decisive moment.

Kema Jack won the golden boot award for the second time with his 15 goals this season.

Tau Winnie missed out with his 13 goals.

The Papua New Guinea Football Association (PNGFA) National Soccer League (NSL) Telikom Cup Player of the Year Award was presented to Highlanders Ian Yanum and Ilait Jnr as joint winners.

AUCKLAND - Benjamin Totori enjoyed a double celebration after his club Waitakere United went top of the New Zealand Football Championship (NZFC) following its third consecutive derby win over bitter rivals Auckland City FC at Trusts Stadium on the weekend.

Not only did the Solomon Islands and Waitakere United goal-getter see his club side assume pole position in the NZFC to go alongside its commanding position in OFC O-League Group A but Totori sealed the Golden Shoe Award at the OFC Men's Olympic Football Tournament in Lautoka with an impressive tally of ten goals in six matches.

Totori thanked his international team-mates for helping make his job of scoring goals a lot easier.

“The team played well so it makes scoring goals easier. Joses (Nawo), Joachim (Rande) and Alick (Maemae) are fast players with skill and it gives other teams problems.

The goals I scored show the whole team played well,” Totori told www.oceaniafootball.com in Lautoka.

Totori’s goal scoring feats at domestic and international level have not gone unnoticed outside of the Oceania region – Totori has been linked with an American A-League club.

The Solomon Islands goal-getter is coy about the possibility of continuing his football adventure outside of New Zealand preferring to help his club win the NZFC and earn another trip to the FIFA Club World Cup – Japan 2008.

“I want to help Waitakere United win the NZFC but it won’t be easy. It is very close and Auckland City and Team Wellington are good teams,” Totori said.

Second in the goal-scoring stakes was inspirational Fiji midfield man Malakai Tiwa.

With the host nation’s campaign falling short of expectations, Tiwa’s contribution in front of goal is all the more extraordinary.

With Osea Vakatalesau unable to find his XIII South Pacific Games form and Roy Krishna deployed in a deeper role behind the strikers, Tiwa won plaudits in the local media for his no-nonsense and committed approach.

Coach Juan Carlos Buzzetti paid glowing tribute to the Ba player.

“Malakai is a special player you can see when he plays that the team plays also. He could play in Europe, no problem.

If he had maybe two or three months to adjust, then yes, I think Tiwa would fit in.

When Malakai was on the pitch you can see his effect but after he came off (injured) against Solomon Islands, then you see the team changes and we have less possibility to win the game,” Buzzetti said.

A surprise amongst the leading lights is Papua New Guinea striker Tau Winnie. Winnie – alongside Raymond Gunemba and David Muta – turned out to be one of the tournament’s most exciting strike talents scoring a highly respectable six goals in five matches.

Six goals in a team that was not expected to provide too much resistance to the likes of Fiji, New Zealand or Solomon Islands was attention grabbing and left fans wondering what type of campaign Papua New Guinea may have had if it had defended with a less gung-ho approach.

OFC Men’s Olympic Football Tournament

Golden Shoe Award

Gold    Benjamin TOTORI (SOL) 

Silver   Malakai TIWA (FIJ)

Bronze Tau WINNIE (PNG)

OFC Head of Women’s Football Connie Selby has been on a mission.

Over the past three weeks she has been deployed by OFC and FIFA in Papua New Guinea and Tonga with the aim of promoting Women’s Football and developing an understanding of how the game works among the coaches in the local areas.

Selby ran a FIFA/OFC MA Women’s Coaching course in Port Moresby from March 3-8, followed by a junior course in Vava’u on March 11-12 and is currently running a regional course in Tonga from March 17-22.

Selby has been impressed with the development of coaches and willing participants since her last visit to PNG late last year.

“A lot of motivated females that are interested are now getting more involved in working with the junior girls and are helping develop the standard throughout PNG. It’s encouraging to see more coaches become members of the women’s standing committee but it still needs to be driven from somewhere.”

Selby said there were a lot of obstacles that Women’s coaches in PNG had to overcome but was happy with the professional approach taken by the women.

“A lot of our course participants find it difficult to attain access to adequate facilities, find it difficult to play 90 minute games for girls, and often struggle just getting hold of equipment because these countries don’t have enough resources to carry on from where we leave off.”

“But because our course was really well organised and the participants were there on time it ran smoothly and was very professional.”

Selby said there was an excellent response from course participants, who wanted the course to continue for another two weeks.

“They just wanted as much information as they could get, anything on Football, they were all really smart and enthusiastic.”

One of those who wanted more was Spencer Manhi a former PNG international who now plays for Hekari United in the NSL.

Manhi paid for his own airfare from Kokopo to attend the course which he saw as an opportunity not to be missed.

“I train kids where I’m from, and saw this as a great opportunity to learn more about coaching. I like to help get kids together and identify talent and then develop them.

“From the course I learnt how to deal with kids and how to develop them into better players, how to prepare quality training sessions and it gave me a better understanding of the game from a coaches point of view.

“We need more interested people who are keen on developing players to attend course like this so we can be more competitive in OFC and abroad.”

Manhi took a representative side to the OFC U’12 festival of football tournament in Papua New Guinea in April last year and described it as the greatest experience of his coaching career and something that he will always remember.

Selby said that there is not enough television coverage of football on TV in Papua New Guinea but noted that the recent live broadcast from EMTV of the OFC Women’s Olympic Qualifying match between New Zealand and Papua New Guinea was a huge step forward toward promoting women’s football in PNG.

“One of the best things about the course in Port Moresby was that Dame Carol Kidu (the first female cabinet minister in PNG) presented all the course participants with certificates and shared some of her experiences with them which was a special moment for everyone involved. She is a huge supporter of Women’s football.”

LAUTOKA - With Oceania's representative at the Beijing Olympics already decided, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea will have the luxury of playing with a sense of freedom and relaxation.

Expect an exciting match however as Papua New Guinea's exciting up-and-at-em approach is sure to gaurentee goals at both ends of the pitch.

Samuel Kalaros, Spenser Noal, Fenedy Masauvakalo and Geoffrey Lego Gete are all recalled from suspension for Vanuatu as the Air Vanuatu Warriors seek to salvage some pride from this tournament.

Papua New Guinea coach George Cowie has opt kept faith with the players that have performed so well and after the brave performance of the women's team yesterday in Port Moresby, who knows, there could well be an upset on the cards here in Lautoka for the men.

 LIVE TEXT UPDATE:

1’- Match kicks off in fine conditions here at Churchill Park, Lautoka, as Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea meet in a match to decide the minor placings.

4’- Shot by Gunemba is saved by Kalnasei

10’- GOAL! Samuel Kini makes it 1-0 to Papua New Guinea!

13’- GOAL! Tau Winnie shoots and scores his fourth goal of this championship and Papua New Guinea are in control!

17'- PENALTY! Winnie is brought down and its a penalty to Papua New Guinea

18'- GOAL! David Muta scores with aplomb to make it 3-0 - Vanuatu are sinking as Papua New Guinea race into a 3-0 lead!

26'- No let up in the action from Papua New Guinea as they play at pace with attack very much the emphasis

28'- Tau Winnie overuns the ball and Sakama picks up possession for Vanuatu

29'- Good aerial win for Vanuatu by Geoffrey Lego Gete

29'- SUBSTITUTION 8. Brian MELAR in, 14. Joseph NAMARIAU out - Vanuatu

33'- Papua New Guinea are fully in control of this match with a three goal advantage already

35'- Good take by Gure Gabina after a deep cross to the far post

36'- Cross by Gunemba to Winnie but Gete forces a goal-kick for Vanuatu

37'- Vanuatu could still cause Papua New Guinea problems - those same defensive frailties are still evident