AUCKLAND – Central United youth coach Paul Posa has taken the role of Auckland City head coach in time for their Oceania Champions League trip to Port Vila on Saturday.
The departure of Colin Tuaa on Sunday left Auckland without a coach following a 3-1 victory of Hawke’s Bay United that took them to the top of the New Zealand Football Championship, until Posa was appointed in a caretaker role until the New Year.
“I’ll be taking the team through Christmas while the club assesses things, but I’m prepared be here until the end of the season if that’s what the club decides,” Posa said.
The Auckland City board member and one-time national league coach of Central United admitted his new appointment was bittersweet but says the experience of senior players had smoothed the transition into the job.
“I feel for Colin. I’ve always been – and still am – a big fan of Colin’s coaching and I’m sorry to see him go.
“The former pros have all been in this sort of situation before at some stage during their careers and they’ve been professional, very helpful and just got on with working away this week.”
Top of the NZFC table domestically, Auckland City now have the chance to draw level with Waitakere United at the top of Group A in the O-League with victory against the Port Vila Sharks, although Posa was taking nothing for granted ahead of the trip to Vanuatu.
“We just have to be looking to go up there and win and not worry about anything else. There are always travel issues, ground issues, temperature issues but we just have to be prepared to deal with the unexpected.”
The return to fitness of Spanish import Xavi Roca Mateo is a boost for Posa in his first game in charge, with the former Villarreal player likely to be back in action for the first time since being stretchered off against Waitakere in the teams’ opening 2-2 O-League draw.
Posa indicated that if Mateo did not start in Port Vila he would almost certainly be back in the walk-on eleven by the time Auckland travels to Canterbury in the NZFC on December 21.
2009 O-LEAGUE GROUP A
Saturday, 13 December 2008
Auckland City v Port Vila Sharks
Municipal Stadium, Port Vila, Vanuatu
Kick off: 17H30 (Local Time)
Auckland City (from):1.Ross NICHOLSON [GK]; 2.Nelson SALE; 3. Matt FRIEL; 5. Matt WILLIAMS; 6. Ki-Hyung LEE; 8. Chad COOMBES; 9. Paul URLOVIC; 10. Grant YOUNG; 11. Alick MAEMAE; 12. Jacob SPOONLEY [GK]; 15. Ivan VICELICH; 16. George SURI; 19. Salesh KUMAR; 20. Greg UHLMANN; 22. Xavi ROCA; 23. Liam MULROONEY;
Coach: Paul POSA (NZL)
Port Vila Sharks: (from) 2.Samson OBED; 3. Jacques MAFIL NAWAN; 6. Fedy VAVA; 7. Moise POIDA; 9. Jean Nako NAPRAPOL; 10. Richard IWAI; 11. Etienne MERMER; 12. Hubert NAKE; 13. Francois SAKAMA; 14. Silas NAMATAK; 15. Roger JOE; 16. Alphonse QORIG; 17. Geoffrey Lego GETE; 20. John GARAE [GK]; 21. Michell KALTACK; 22. Alfred MALAS [GK]; 25. Jonah TURU; 26. Jeffry NIMANIAN;
Coach: Robert CALVO (VAN)
Story courtesy NZF Media. For more visit www.nzsoccer.com