AS Magenta defender Mickael Tiaou moves to France

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In an exclusive interview with Oceania Football Center, 28-year-old central defender Mickael Tiaou revealed that he had left New Caledonia for France – he landed on the European continent at the beginning of the previous week (29 May). The player, who has already represented New Caledonia seven times, was in the squad of AS Magenta in the group phase of the OFC Champions League 2020, where the team won all these two matches against AS Tiare Tahiti and the Solomon Warriors.

“I had expected to play the quarter-finals of the OFC Champions League 2020 for AS Magenta and the OFC Nations Cup for New Caledonia, but then Coronavirus happened and changed everything. It is something new, we have to adapt to it,” he said – “I came to France for personal reasons, I think my time in New Caledonian football is over now,” the defender added.

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Magenta led OFC Champions League Group C, played in Nouméa, and Tiaou is another player that the New Caledonian powerhouse lost. Earlier this year, key players such as Émile Ounei and Richard Sele moved to AS Tiga and Jean-Philippe Saïko moved to New Zealand to defend the colours of Tasman United.

But football is not over for Tiaou: “I am going to look for a club here in France to continue playing,” the player explained – something that can be a good option for the player to develop his game in a better footballing environment than Oceania.

Mobil Super Ligue – the top tier of New Caledonian football – is still on hold and a new schedule is currently being reviewed by the local football federation and clubs. Magenta won their first game of the season 6-0 against the newly promoted AS Kunié – the only matchweek played in the league before the forced break.