“We’re really excited and can’t wait to play our first game against Fiji U-20,” the Fiji international says.
“We came really close in the Champions League but there’s a few new boys and the competition here will be much harder – but we’re hoping to win this time.”
The composition of the squad has gone through some changes since it finished runners-up to Auckland City FC in the 2014 OFC Champions League final, but Naqelecca believes the team can compete.
“We still have a strong side, a couple of our players went back to their countries and we’ve brought in some new players,” he says.
“They fit into the team well and we’re hoping that everything works out for us on the pitch.”
One of those newcomers is Australia-based midfielder Adrian Ucchino who is relishing the chance to take part in the inaugural President’s Cup with Amicale.
“It’s exciting, we’re a fairly new team. We have a few boys from Vanuatu combined with six of us foreigners – a couple of Italian boys and a few Australian boys,” Ucchino says.
“We’ve just been training and working towards this tournament and hopefully we can bring home this trophy.”
As for how the team is coming together given the short time they’ve spent together, Ucchino says things are tracking along well.
“Slowly it’s getting better. At the start it wasn’t so easy because there were so many new boys coming into a team that’s already formed.
“But we’re all getting along well, laughing and joking together. I think we’ll have good team spirit on the day.”
While it always takes time to slot into an already formed side, Ucchino says given the quality of the existing players it has been easier than expected.
“There’s some really good talent,” he says.
“Some of them are bigger, faster and fitter than we’re used to in Sydney, but I think we can add that technical and tactical element of things which will be a good combination in the end.”
Amicale FC get their 2014 OFC President’s Cup campaign underway against Fiji U-20 on Monday 17 November. The match gets underway at The Trusts Arena at 7.30pm.

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