History is a fantastic subject to study; for instance, it can teach us many lessons from the mistakes from the past in certainly all areas of society. History is the subject we from Oceania Football Center decide to start this editorial due one particular figure: Charles de Montesquieu. This Frenchman was the first thinker to theorize the modern tripartition of powers in a state: executive, judiciary and legislative. Nowadays, some important scholars point out that media acts a bit like a fourth power in modern society – basically, a country without a proper information outlet will certainly have its society in a very complicated scenario.
Three hundred years after de Montesquieu’s death, we were just becoming familiar with another very important historical figure – especially for us football fans. It was 29 June, 1958, and the fantastical boy wonder Pelé had just scored in the FIFA World Cup final on the way to Brazil’s first ever title against Sweden. By that time, media was already present – thanks to them, we can watch that fantastic sombrero and clinical finish in black and white to give Brazil – where Oceania Football Center direction comes from – something important to celebrate.
Well, we’re not here to talk about politics or Pelé; we are here to talk about Oceania football and why it is easily the least developed confederation in the modern era of football. Despite most of the members of Oceania Football Confederation being very young nations in terms of independence, it is completely right to point out that they are not doing all they can to improve the situation of their own game.
The obstacles they face to develop the sport are understandable. But it is also understandable that without proper management and know-how, we are not going much further than we are currently – and this can be stated through media. If you aware of what is happening in the supreme court or in the second division of football in your country it is exactly due to media – to the journalists.
If you get out from your own world and try to ask any football fan living in the Americas or Europe about what is happening in one particular football league in Oceania he will certainly need to search on internet – he’ll probably be checking out Oceania Football Center. That’s what Oceania Football Center states in our About Us section: our goal is to let the world know there is football in the Pacific, and hidden talent does exist.
We feel that in the Pacific, there is a lack of understanding of the activities of football journalists. A surprising number of players, coaches, directors, and all those involved with the game in the Pacific Islands often actively reject the reporting and broadcasting of their league’s activity – something alien to those in other continents where sports journalism is a given. This is also something understandable; before Oceania Football Center, the amount of info regarding the game in the Pacific was ostensibly much less, and now this influx of information can cause some strangeness. But, first of all, we would like to assure we are working based on reality, committed to the truth and heading towards the development of football in the region.
If we do not get to know what is happening in the football tournaments in Oceania, we will not be able to analyse it, to inform our friends about the performances and even to ask for clarifications when we feel things are not going as expected. So, we will be connecting you on what is happening in all matters related to our beloved football. That is the best way to understand how we can improve on it. The first step.
If media is censored, certainly important news are not being allowed to come out. In terms of football, in a region where football still has a long way to go to compete at international level, it can not really definitively help the huge process of development that is necessary to come.
Oceania Football Center is committed to make things happen. Actually, as far as we know, we already make things happen. Hopefully, it will continue.
Oceania Football Center 