The Cook Islands finished last in Luganville two years ago after qualifying for the main tournament by winning the Preliminary competition in Apia.
Yaqona says expectations of his team are carefully measured with the role of tournament underdogs already firmly established.
“We’ve got a very young squad with lots of energy that I guess comes with youth – we want to stay nice and compact and see what happens. We’ve had a training squad since February that’s been training with me for three days per week.
“In our football season from August, I had the players just once per week then the domestic season ended in mid-December so I had them for three days a week again.
“Its been a good, long, preparation but its been disrupted. The team is ready and raring to go but the biggest thing for us is self-belief, belief in themselves and what they can achieve,” he says.
The Cook Islands are drawn alongside heavyweights New Caledonia, defending champions New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Fiji. Co-hosts Samoa are a team the Cook Islands know well, having beaten them 2-1 two years ago at this level thanks to goals by Takuina Tararo and Dwayne Tiputoa.
Yaqona says that a return to that bright moment depends on how well his team deploys what they’ve learned in their build-up to the championship.
“They know they’re backs are up against the wall, they’re a very young, very inexperienced squad but when it comes to team sport its about what happpens in the game.
“If these boys stick to what we’ve been training towards, that strong mentality then the results will present themselves,” he said.
Cook Islands experience of winning at the competition-proper is limited with the highwater mark a 6-2 thrashing of rivals Tonga in 2011.
They defeated Samoa at the same stage 1-0 in a nervy victory in Pago Pago in 2003.
The only draw they’ve mustered at this level was a dramatic 2-2 result with American Samoa 15 years ago in Fiji.
Given the Cook Islands has managed to pull together a satisfactory if not ideal preparatory campaign, is it enough to suggest this is the best prepared side Yaqona can field?
“I wouldn’t say better prepared, If anything they’re thrown in the deep end because they face the tier 1 countries at the group stage.
“Personally, I would have preferred to face the tier 2 nations first to see if we could qualify from there but I mean as it goes in sport you get one opportunity and this is their opportunity, they’ve got to take it,” he says.

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