OFC, Auckland: The 2004 OFC Indigenous Senior License Coaching course was completed last Friday in Auckland, New Zealand with final assessments revealing improved results across the board from the Level One course held last December.

Coaching instructor, Alan Gillett, was pleased with the two week effort by the eighteen course participants who came from eight of the nine member island national associations.

“There was a notable improvement from the last course and the senior coaches who passed level one last December have really excelled to another level,” said Gillett.

“Oceania now has a solid nucleus from which to work from when the OFC sets up its technical department in the near future.”

According to first time participant Francis Moiyap of Papua New Guinea, he now feels better equipped to deal with coaching national teams and has now set higher targets for himself. Moiyap is a veteran international famous for scoring the winning goal in his country’s most famous victory, a 1-0 win over New Zealand in 1997.

“It is a career I want to seriously do well in after being a player for my country for many years,” he said.

“I have had experience taking the national women’s team to the South Pacific Games and World Cup qualifiers last year, but after attending this course, I now have a taste of what is required to become a better coach thanks to this initiative from the OFC supported by the Football Association in England.”

PHOTO CAPTION:

PARTICIPANTS IN THE 2004 OFC INDIGENOUS SENIOR LICENSE COACHING LEVEL 1 & 2 COURSES, 12-25 JUNE 2004, AUCKLAND NEW ZEALAND:

Coaches: Back row (L-R): Eddie Ngava (Solomon Islands), Alwyn Job (Vanuatu), Jerry Epa (Samoa), Francis Moiyap (PNG), Kilifi Uele (Tonga), Tunoa Lui (American Samoa), Raymond Newnham (Cook Islands), Wilson August (Vanuatu), Allan Jasoni (Fiji), Lambert Norman (Fiji), R.D Sharman (Fiji), Ludwig Peka (PNG) / Front row (L-R) Lui Muavesi (Tonga), Mataiasi Vave (Solomon Islands), Ioane Kaio (American Samoa), Alan Gillett (Course Instructor, England), Malo Vaga (Samoa), Rouruina Henry (Cook Islands), Noel Wagapu (Solomon Islands).