oceaniafootball.com takes a look at five players who are sure to catch the eye during the battle to become the top club side in Oceania.
Gagame Feni
Club: Waitakere United
Position: Striker
Age: 19
Nationality: Solomon Islands
Talented teenager Feni is the latest in a string of Solomon Islanders to try their luck in New Zealand and has the skills to join the likes of Batram Suri, Benjamin Totori and Henry Fa’arodo in making an impact. The fleet-footed frontman has been in his adopted country for several years after arriving to attend Nayland College and comes to Waitakere from Canterbury United, for whom he impressed against his new team in last season’s national league play-offs. Like most Solomon stars, he has plenty of flair and loves to run at defenders.
Andreu Guerao
Club: Auckland City
Position: Midfielder
Age: 28
Nationality: Spain
The signing of holding midfielder Guerao is a real coup for the reigning champions and he has the credentials to be one of the competition’s stand-out players. Born in Barcelona, the Spaniard spent his youth career with his hometown club and made his professional debut for Barcelona B in 2003. Spells with Málaga B and Sporting Gijón followed before Guerao joined Polish top-flight outfit Polonia Warsaw. Despite becoming a fans’ favourite, his contract was not renewed at the end of the 18-month deal and Auckland coach Ramon Tribulietx jumped at the chance to bring him down under.
Jean Kaltack
Club: Hekari United
Position: Striker
Age: 17
Nationality: Vanuatu
One of the most promising young talents in the Pacific, rangy striker Kaltack first caught the eye at the OFC U-17 Championship in January, scoring five times for Vanuatu as they finished fourth. He and his country both went one better at the OFC U-20 Championship three months later, Kaltack notching six goals to win the golden boot as Vanuatu earned bronze. His feats at the age-group tournaments were enough for him to be included in the senior squad for the 2011 Pacific Games and he continued his progress at the event by finishing among the top-scorers with a six-goal haul.
James Naka
Club: Koloale
Position: Winger
Age: 27
Nationality: Solomon Islands
Skilful wideman Naka is reknowned as one of Oceania’s best beach soccer players but his talents are not restricted solely to the sands, as Solomon Islands’ rivals at the Pacific Games discovered to their cost. Naka played a leading role as the Bonitos made it to the final of the tournament and his performances were enough for Koloale coach Peter Eke to decide to lure him back to his homeland from Fijian club Rewa. Naka has been a success in the O-League before – he was a member of the Kossa team that came runners-up in 2008 – and will form a potent attack with fellow national team players Benjamin Totori and Joses Nawo.
Alvin Singh
Club: Ba
Position: Defender
Age: 23
Nationality: Fiji
Centre back Singh is softly-spoken away from the field but is not a man to be messed with on it and has plenty of ability to go with his no-nonsense approach. The Fijian international has already tasted life on the elite stage after appearing for Hekari United at the 2011 FIFA Club World Cup in the United Arab Emirates and was one of the Papua New Guinea side’s best performers in its only match of the tournament, a 3-0 loss to hosts Al-Wahda. He was a key member of the Fiji side that qualified for the semi-finals of the Pacific Games and, as he is still relatively young for a defender, is likely to improve even further over the coming years.

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