So when the news came through that the final would still take place on Saturday, the Tahiti Nui captain was relieved.
“Of course I was really sad for Vanuatu because the cyclone meant they could not participate. But I was also afraid that the final might be rescheduled on the Sunday and then I couldn’t play.”
Naea respects the Sabbath as part of his Christian beliefs and has already been in the position of sitting out an OFC final.
“One of my best achievements in football was reaching the final of the OFC Club Championship in 2006 in Auckland when I was playing for Pirae. But unfortunately I couldn’t play in the final because it was on a Sunday. We ended up losing 3-1.”
This week’s FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup qualifier in Papeete, Tahiti, was delayed to try and cater for the Vanuatu team who were stranded in Port Vila due to Cyclone Atu. But in the end they could not make it out and the tournament kicked off – just a day late – so the final could still take place on the Saturday.
For Naea, this is his first major competition for beach soccer.
“I’ve only just picked up beach soccer because the coach wanted some strong 11-a-side players to add to the squad.”
The 34-year-old makes up for his lack of experience with plenty of success in the more traditional form of the game, having played for the national team of Tahiti for more than a decade and as captain for the past two years.
He believes he has adjusted well.
“For a striker like me it’s a pleasure to always be close to the goal and have so many shots. I also like the fast pace of beach soccer.”
Naea is looking forward to tomorrow’s final, as well as the prospect of hosting the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in 2013.
“We will do our best to bring honour to our country.
“And because we will host the FIFA tournament in 2013 it gives us even more motivation to qualify for the tournament in Italy this year,” he says, referring to FIFA’s pinnacle beach soccer event to be held in Ravenna, Italy, from 1 September.
Bennett is set to lead his against the Solomon Islands in the final of the OFC Beach Soccer Championship 2011 which kicks off at 12:30pm on Saturday (local time) in Papeete.