Brian Kaltak: an inspiration for Pacific people

Solomon Islands U17 defender Charlton Totori recently said that Brian Kaltak is his favourite defender – He has great vision in the game and he is also a melanesian like me – said Totori to Raw Sports Newspaper. Totori is one of the called-up players for FIFA U17 World Cup that will be held in Brazil.

Surely Kaltak is a reference for a lot of people from Pacific. The Ni-Van defender is one of the most successful players from Pacific Islands nowadays being an important player for Auckland City in New Zealand. He is the current Vanuatu National Team captain and the biggest reference when it comes to football in Vanuatu.

“It feels awesome to be honest. Being captain of the the team is something different, only few people deserves to wear the captain’s armbrand and I am happy to be one of them” said Kaltak to Oceania Football Center.

He is not an inspiration just inside the pitch. He is a great man that remembers his roots and is always willing to help other people. He has a great connection with Erakor Golden Star, a club from Vanuatu where he played some years ago. He went to Vanuatu on August for a two-week holiday and took part of Erakor Golden Star FC Youth Program sharing his experiences to local children.

The success does not come from one day to another, but Kaltak followed the right path and he knows that hardworking is crucial to achieve goals and being successful in football world. He started his career as a serious footballer at Teouma Academy, a football academy in Vanuatu ran by the local Federation where he had the opportunity to work with some of the best coaches and people from Ni-Van football like Moise Poida, Etienne Mermer and Richard Iwai.

“To go far you have to be strong and learn how to cope on your own, while having good people that let you follow your dreams, let you do what your heart desires.” – “I believe in myself. In life we all have ups and downs, we all go off the path sometimes. But at the back of your mind, especially in football, you know you have to be responsible for bringing yourself up because no-one’s going to do it for you.” said Kaltak to Oceania Football Confederation Media in 2018.

Currently playing in Auckland City, the biggest football club in Oceania, he stands at the top of OFC. The 26 years old defender enjoys it and he is having a great time playing in New Zealand.

He also left an advice for young players from the islands: “Work hard and never stop believing in yourself… the reward takes time, even years to be successful”.