Kevin Coma’s side qualified for the 2015 Fiji Airways OFC Champions League all of sixteen months ago and has been in training since January, and is looking forward to making its competition debut this afternoon against hosts Ba FC.
“I’m really happy to be getting started. We’ve been waiting a little while to start this competition, about three months in fact,” Coma said. “It’s the first time that this team has taken part in this competition so we’re looking forward to our match tomorrow.”
Coma has pulled together a wealth of domestic experience in what he calls a New Caledonian ‘selection’, as well as adding some Champions League expertise in Marius Bako, Pierre Wajoka and former OFC Player of the Year Bertrand Kai.
He can also lean on four members of the New Caledonian national squad throughout the tournament, in which his side will face off against Ba, Tahiti’s AS Pirae and Samoan newcomers Lupe Ole Soaga.
While Lupe are a relative unknown, Ba and Pirae are defending semi-finalists so Gaitcha has a tough challenge ahead of itself.
“Ba, Pirae or Samoa, we’ll take it match by match, as if we’re playing a final each time,” Coma said. “We may be a minor team, but we have a massive heart and we’ll play each like it’s a final.”
“It’s a team that’s both young and old, so we have both experienced players and new players from New Caledonia” he said of his team.
“We’ve only played two days of competition so don’t really have a lot of playing time behind us, but we’ve been preparing since January and we’re excited to show everything we’ve learned now.”
His side’s primary goal is to develop football in New Caledonia by qualifying for the semi-finals at this year’s showpiece, and in doing so bringing another domestic qualifier with them next season.
“The objective is to develop Caledonian football somewhat – to make the semi-finals could mean a second New Caledonian club could participate in this OFC competition,” Coma asserts.
“Therefore, our first objective is the semi-finals and we are confident that we can do this, not just for us, but for all football in New Caledonia.”
Their opening match against the Men In Black begins at 7pm at Govind Park, Ba.
For more on New Caledonia football visit www.fedcalfoot.com

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