Coach Steven Mune, who led the side to a historic third Pacific Games title in a row in September, has set up training centres in Port Moresby and Lae respectively and says his charges must work hard as time will quickly tick away before the tournament takes place in March.
Despite that Pacific Games triumph, secured with a 2-1 win over hosts New Caledonia in the final, Mune feels there is still plenty of room for progress and has not ruled out making personnel changes to the Games-winning group.
“I can say that there are a number of areas where improvements will be made through possible changes to the team,” he says.
Eight players that did not take part in the Pacific Games – namely Zeena Limbai, Elen Taito, Susan Durra, Georgina Malagu, Esther Muta, Eileen Taito, Samantha Peninsa and Flosie Mekeo – have been brought into the 29-strong training squad for the Olympic qualifiers and must now do their best to impress Mune as he can take only 23 to Fiji.
The line-up will be finalised by early next year and the team is scheduled to then spend a week in Gold Coast, Australia, to finish off their preparations.
Once in Fiji, Papua New Guinea will come up against seven of the eight other OFC member associations who are International Olympic Committee members – American Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu – in a tournament based on a league system with semi-finals and a final.
The winner of the preliminary stage final will then play New Zealand in a home-and-away play-off for a place in the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament London 2012.
Papua New Guinea women’s training squad
Fidelma WATPORE
Linda BUNAGA
Linah HONEAKII
Ruth TURIA
Helen LEBONG
Kathrina SALAIAU
Janie NORI
Cecilia DOBBIN
Esther KURABI
Dorcas SESEVO
Jaqlyne CHALAU
Barbara MUTA
Sandra BIRUM
Paulinie TARAKAUR
Zeena LIMBAI
Ramona MORRIS
Elen TAITO
Ara MIDI
Francis MANDONI
Miriam LOUMA
Defney FRANCIS
Susan DURRA
Miriam LANTA
Georgina MALAGU
Alexia STEPHEN
Esther MUTA
Eileen TAITO
Samantha PENINSA
Flosie MEKEO
Coach: Steven MUNE
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