A three-man coaching staff of Avock, William Malas and Kaison Maki was unveiled in January but the Vanuatu Football Federation (VFF) stated at the time that a head coach would not be appointed until closer to the tournament.
The trio has therefore worked together over the ensuing months to take the players through a training programme and select their final 23-strong squad for the Nations Cup, which takes place in the Solomon Islands capital Honiara from 1-10 June.
Each of the coaches have extensive backgrounds in football but Avock was selected for the main job despite being involved with the disappointing 2012 O-League campaign of New Caledonia club Mont-Dore, who finished with fewer points than any other side and were forced to play-off for their future in the Pacific’s premier club competition with Cook Islands outfit Tupapa Maraerenga.
Taking the Vanuatu team will be a different story though as Avock and his assistants have a wealth of young talent at their disposal.
The new boss is certainly bullish about his charges’ prospects in Honiara.
“I am very confident that we will make it through to the second round of the competition and I am thankful to VFF for putting trust in me as head of the coaching team,” Avock says.
“The Vanuatu team is a mixture of our young U-20 and U-23 boys and I am sure they will perform well in the Solomon Islands. It’s just a matter of preparing well and arriving at the tournament in a positive state of mind.”
The coaching trio will be assisted by French technical advisor Christian Chosson, who believes Vanuatu have been handed a difficult assignment by the draw.
They have been placed in Group A and will meet the francophone pair of New Caledonia and Tahiti along with underdogs Samoa, who secured their place by winning stage one of World Cup qualifying.
“Our pool in the Nations Cup presents a huge challenge for our young stars,” Chosson says.
“It is definitely a tough group as New Caledonia are the Pacific Games champions. But if the boys play well we can put in a good showing. New Caledonia and Tahiti will be strong but we will be ready to meet New Caledonia in our first game.”
For more on Vanuatu football go to www.vanuafoot.vu

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