Today will start for Tahiti the journey in the Beach Soccer World Cup 2019. In Asunciòn, Paraguay, the Tiki Toa will face Italy in a tough match.
From FIGC site
Italy is one of the best european team and it won the last Euro Beach Soccer League 2018 against Spain at the penalty kicks. The italian best player is Gabriele Gori. The italian forward as scored more then 200 goals in his national team. He’s playing in Viareggio Beach Soccer, one of the most powerful teams in the world, where he made the treble in 2016 (Scudetto, Coppa Italia and Champions League). He arrived at the second place in the Gold Ball 2016, only after the portugues phenomenon Madjer.
In a question made by Giuseppe di Giovanni of Gazzetta dello Sport he said about :”What is it? Do you think I shivered as soon as I heard the question. Here, it’s my second life. All that football didn’t give me gave me back the Beach with interest. And then, when I put the shirt on the national team, I always kiss her. It is undescribable ”.
A wonderful gol made by Gabriele Gori. From La Repubblica.
But Tiki Toa are ready to confront this match. They hardly prepared themselves in this week they were in Paraguay. There’s only problem that they can’t overcome: the heat of the sand. In the sout american country it’s very hot now, much hotter then the tahiti, and the sand retains all the heat. This would be a tough problem for all the non-americans teams. But we know that the tahitians player will make all they can to win this match.
After turning into a national hero even in his teen years after being the key player to qualify his nation to their first ever FIFA football tournament, the young Raphael Le’ai keeps shining and proving his talent is really big. The 17 year-old forward earned a scolarship in New Zealand after his solid performances at OFC U16 Championship, where Solomon Islands ended as runners-up. Making stellar performances playing for Scots College in the New Zealand school tournaments, the talented player represented his country at FIFA U17 World Cup recently in Brazil and was one of the best players of his team.
The young Le’ai when player of Marist FC – Island Sun
After touching down Solomon Islands after an amazing experience at world stage, the young Le’ai joined his teammates Derick Taebo and Leon Kofana at Henderson Eels in the Telekom S-League, the most important football league in his country. Despite being only 17 years old, Le’ai already played in S-League before and for one of the most important clubs in the nation, Marist FC – and he was outstanding as well.
Le’ai had trials in Argentina football top-tier before sealing his move to New Zealand for his scolarship with Scots College and trainings with professional outfit Wellington Phoenix. His pedigree is clear of high level and it is known by the entire nation in Solomon Islands.
The young forward joined Eels for the second round of Telekom S-League season and is hoping to help the side to win their first national glory. The numbers of the teenager are impressing: three matches played, six goals scored.
Le’ai scored a brace against Kossa in his second match for Henderson Eels and four goals in his third game for the club against Guadalcanal. The senior players of the teams just can not deal with the speed and technique of the impressing 17-year old.
Usually when wonderkids appear in the world of football they take some time to adapt to the first team experiences – this is really not the case of Raphael Le’ai. Despite being aware of the level of football played in Oceania, the logical view is that a young player would need time to showcase himself playing against seniors. Le’ai just seems to good for Telekom S-League level.
The Solomon Islander talent earned the award of MVP in the School tournaments played in New Zealand when defending Scots College colours – one more personal award for Le’ai, he already won the MVP award and top goalscorer at OFC U16 Championship where he helped Solomon Islands to qualify for FIFA U17 World Cup.
Once again playing at the highest level in his nation, the talent of one of the best players produced in the country in the recent years is reaffirmed – not so often we see a 17-year old being the most decisive player for one of the most important football teams in the country and remembering he already scored a bunch of goals previously for Marist FC in a even younger age in the previous season.
The future seems really bright for Solomon Islands when we spotligth the talent of the young but already determinant Raphael Le’ai.
Vanuatu Football Federation presidential election will take place next month in Santo. Lambert Maltock and Stephen Felix are the candidates. Maltock is the current president of Vanuatu Football Federation and Oceania Football Confederation while Felix is current Port Vila Football Association president.
Lambert Maltock and Stephen Felix – Candidates to the presidency of VFF
These are bad news for those who want changes in Vanuatu’s football. The mood is pessimistic among people involved with football in the country, specially in Port Vila. As Oceania Football Center already reported, things are not going well there in Vanuatu so an election contested by two men who are already in the command of local football is synonym of hopelessness and doldrums.
Maltock is the favourite to win this election once he has good support from secondary leagues and football associations.
Galaxy FC sent a complaint to Port Vila Football Association (PVFA) because of the transfer of Vaum players to Tupuji Imere outside transfer window. The PVFA already sent it to Vanuatu Football Federation (VFF).
Mahit Ollie (number 16) is one of the players that went to Tupuji Imere from Vaum.
There is no news about PVFA or VFF answers to Galaxy’s appeal. Oceania Football Center is keeping an eye on it in order to bring reliable information about this case.
The year was 2004 and Australia was hosting the OFC Nations Cup Final Tournament. Four teams qualified from the previous stage (Solomon Islands, Tahiti, Vanuatu and Fiji) to join New Zealand and Australia in a tournament where each team played every other once in a tournament held in Adelaide. The best two seeded teams were supposed to advance through the final and fight for a spot in Inter-Confederation Play-offs for 2006 FIFA World Cup.
After two rounds Vanuatu was at the bottom of the table with two losses while New Zealand was in the third position with three points behind Fiji and Australia. The predictions were denoting that the New Zealanders would beat the Ni-Van squad but that 4th June of 2004 was reserving some surprises for both teams.
The All Whites counted on players that were acting in Europe and United States while most Vanuatu players were defending local teams by that time. The only exceptions were Etienne Mermer and Richard Iwai that were playing in Mitchelton from Australia. Uruguayan Juan Carlos Buzzetti was Vanuatu’s head coach.
VANUATU SQUAD BEHIND (FROM LEFT TO RIGHT): Moise Poida, Larry Thompsen, Geoffrey Gete, Alphonse Qorig, Lexa Bibi and David Chilia FRONT (FROM LEFT TO RIGHT): Seimata Chilia, Fredy Vava, Graham Demas, Jean Maleb and Tom Manses
Vanuatu came up to the pitch with a very defensive team using Lexa Bibi as sweeper. “Carlos (head coach) told us in the room to not create corners and free kicks. Our defense was really down just after the penalty box to not allow them to penetrate ]…] Our gameplan was defense down and then counter attack if we regain possession” said Moise Poida.
The biggest priority was the defense but Vanuatu still needed to make something in the attack if they really wanted to keep themselves alive in the tournament once they had lost to Fiji and Solomon Islands before facing New Zealand. We were promised money if we win New Zealand […] We were hungry to beat All Whites to get paid” stated Poida.
Vanuatu opened the scoreboard at the 37th minute with a goal scored by legendary Seitama Chilia and the first half ended 1-0 to them. A big shock for All Whites that were in need of winning this match. Despite the loss in the first half it was not supposed to be a big problem for them once New Zealand had some good players like Ryan Nelsen, Ivan Vicelich, Mark Paston, Tony Lochhead and Leo Bertos.
They knew the importance of beating Vanuatu to keep themselves alive to fight for a spot in the final. All Whites’ coach Mich Waitt placed Vaughan Coveny and Shane Smeltz in pitch to replace Michael Wilson and Aaran Lines respectively.
Lorry Thompsen (Vanuatu) being marked by Rupesh Puna
The substitutions had an immediate effect with Coveny scoring a goal to tie the game at 1-1. New Zealand did not have time to celebrate this goal because Lexa Bibi put Vanuatu ahead again three minutes later and Jean Maleb scored the third for Vanuatu. All Whites scored again with Vaughan Coveny. This goal made him tie with Steve Sumner as New Zealand National Football Team all time topscorer with 22 goals but it was not enough to lead All Whites to a turnaround.
Vanuatu also had the opportunity to net a fourth goal with Alphonse Qorig. Vanuatu won by 4-2 after the final whistle. It was their only win in that tournament.
Vanuatu players emotioned after the final whistle
Vanuatu strategy based on defense and counter attacking was perfect that day “We caught them in counter attack situations in our four goals” stated Seitama Chilia. “It was a tough game. I can not believe that we made it. Everyone was hungry to play against the All Whites.” said Fredy Vava.
“It was the best moment of Vanuatu’s football history.” asserted Fredy Vava. Vanuatu National Team ended in the last position in the tournament but they really played at good level losing matches by tight scores and beating New Zealand. “We won that game not because we were better than New Zealand, but we were more motivated to win” said Poida.
New Zealand won Tahiti and Fiji in the further matches but they were eliminated in this round with nine points in five matches, standing behind Australia (13 points) and Solomon Islands (10 points). This unexpected loss to Vanuatu smashed the All Whites’ dream to qualify for 2006 FIFA World Cup.
Malaita Kings is not having the season they were expecting in Telekom S-League, the top-tier of football in the Solomon Islands, despite sitting at the 3rd position in the moment. The team from Malaita signed three important players from Papua New Guinea national team – Michael Foster, Nigel Dabinyaba and Emmanuel Simon – all of them on loan from the current PNG National Soccer League champions Lae City FC.
The high investment made by Kings were surely an attempt to get a spot in the OFC Champions League of next year or even battle for the national title – but now they sit 13 points away the fight that is having Henderson Eeels and Solomon Warriors as contenders.
Nigel Dabinyaba (blue) played only two matches for Kings since signing – S-League Media
Despite Dabinyaba played only two matches for Malaita Kings until now in the season and did not score a goal, Emmanuel Simon and Michael Foster scored together 11 goals for the club. The strength of the team depends much on the PNG players they have in their squad. The bad news for Malaita Kings fans is that two of their players are set to rejoin Lae City soon.
According to reliable source from Lae City FC in Papua New Guinea, Emmanuel Simon and Nigel Dabinyaba are set to move back to the team in the next week – precisely they are expected to meet the current PNG National Soccer League champions squad around 25th November. The club is preparing for the start of the new season that is scheduled to be at 7th December in PNG and for the next edition of OFC Champions League.
Emmanuel Simon (blue) is being vital for Kings in the season – S-League Media
The other Papua New Guinean of Malaita, Michael Foster – that also played and won the national title with Lae City the previous season – is not going to leave back for his previous club and probrably will play the entire second round of Telekom S-League for Kings.
Kings is scheduled to play in the Sunday 24th November against the 2nd placed Henderson Eels and is not yet sure if the PNG duo will be available or not for the Malaita Kings staff in the match.
The Telekom S-League midweek match was played this Wednesday between 2nd placed Henderson Eels and 8th placed Guadalcanal. After a difficult time in the first 15 minutes of the game, Eels managed to meet the expectations and smashed Guadalcanal just like they did in the first round.
Henderson Eels starting eleven against Guadalcanal
Raphael Lea’i opened the scoreboard for Eels in the ninth minute but Guadalcanal managed to tie the match a few minutes later with a goal scored by Clifford Kesi. Their happiness did not last for so long because Lea’i scored again in the 19th minute to put Eels ahead again. Team captain Andrew Rarangia netted in the stoppage time to finish the first half with the scoreboard at 3-1 in their favour.
Guadalcanal did not have the necessary strenght to keep up with their opponent. Raphael Lea’i scored two more goals in the second half while Joses Nawo (returning from injury) and Rodney Suri netted once each. The final score was 7-1.
Raphael Lea’i ended the match with four goals scored and he now has six goals scored in three matches in Telekom S-League, an amazing beginning for the wonderkid.
Eels remains in second with 28 points, the same amount of points of Solomon Warriors but Warriors played ten matches while Eels played eleven so far. You can check the updated standings and the topscorers by clicking here.
John Kapi Natto (front, third from left) still has a lot of work to do as President of the PNGFA. Photo: PNGFA
It could be argued that football in Papua New Guinea has already seen its greatest era: the magical season in 2010 when Hekari United became the first non-Australian or Kiwi side to land the OFC Champions League title and represent Oceania at the Club World Cup was nothing short of remarkable. From then until 2018, under the reign of now-disgraced David Chung, things at best stagnated and at worst were irreparably damaged. We are only now beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel, and there’s still a very long way to go.
Previous PNGFA President David Chung, who was born in Malaysia before becoming a naturalised citizen of PNG, became President back in 2004, and during his time in office, he also became OFC President in 2010 and, latterly, Senior Vice President of FIFA in 2017. After corruption allegations put an abrupt end to all three of these highly-regarded positions in April 2018, Chung was banned from football for six-and-a-half years.
However, despite a 2019 National Soccer League season which, at first glance, seemed to have been the most successful yet, the remnants of Chung’s previous regime still linger under the surface.
Let’s give credit where credit’s due: the organisation and execution of a complex, 27-team, conference-based league season is no mean feat, and it’s credit to Kapi Natto and certain members of the NSL board for having had the vision and the expertise to successfully see the season through to the end, where we saw eight-time champions Hekari United defeated on penalties by Toti City FC, who picked up their fifth straight title.
However, since the end of the season, several pieces of information have come to light which suggest that there is still plenty of work to be done.
In May, competition manager Leslie Babaga revealed that the NSL hadn’t taken out comprehensive medical insurance for the players involved in the competition. This followed the death of Laiwaden FC goalkeeper Mikes Gewa, who was kicked in the ribs during a game against Morobe Wawens in the Northern Conference. Babaga claimed it was the club managers’ faults, because they didn’t send the full squad lists in time for the insurance to be taken out, which resulted in a delayed start to the season and an inability to ensure the players were covered before the season kicked-off. There has thus far been no suggestion that this issue will be resolved before the start of the 2019-20 season, which has been hit by another delay and will now start on December 7th.
PNGFA Vice-President John Wesley Gonjuan was suspended by FIFA for two years in October 2019. Photo: PNGFA
Finally, if reports from local Facebook groups are to be believed, the four semi-finalists from the 2019 season are still yet to receive their prize money, because some clubs are yet to pay their full affiliation fees. Question marks remain over whether the NSL should allow clubs who haven’t paid their dues to continue in the competition; however, a case could be made that disqualifying teams who hadn’t paid may have caused too much disruption to the format of last season’s competition
With all that in mind, how can the PNGFA and the NSL organisers ensure that 2020 is a newer, fresher start than 2019 was?
The key is to get the right people in the right positions. I have had contact with several of the people currently involved with the PNGFA and other local organisations, and the signs are good: Yala Khanna, Member Associations Development Manager at the PNGFA since June 2019, has been an key influence on the success of this year’s Besta FA Cup and continues to work hard to maintain transparency within the organisation via the use of social media; Kamo Kini is a key Competition Manager in the Southern Region, having organised the Southern Leg of this year’s National Club Championship, and he has made a hugely positive impact both in terms of organisation and communication in 2019; while Paul Karambi is the new General Secretary of the Port Moresby Soccer Association since 2017, and his tireless hard work with the organisation and score-keeping for the past two seasons of the PMSA competitions has been excellent.
What connects all these people is their praise for Kapi Natto, whom they believe is having a positive effect on football in Papua New Guinea, and will continue to root out those not pulling their weight as long as he is afforded enough time.
Another big step that happened in October was the handing over of the lease of the PNG Football Stadium in Port Moresby to the PNGFA. Now fully in the hands of the football governing body for 99 years, there are high hopes that Kapi Natto and his team will be able to develop the ground to serve the national team in a more productive way.
These are small victories in a much larger fight to bring PNG back to a level where they might enjoy some more success at a continental and international level. With arguably the two biggest clubs PNG has ever seen – Lae City and Hekari United – heading to the 2020 OFC Champions League earlier next year, representation of PNG at this level has never been stronger. However, there is still a lot of work to be done for the national team, which is still suffering from a dearth of friendly matches and has a long way to go if they’re to meet Kapi Natto’s initial target of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.
The signs of improvement are there, there is no doubt about that. But more needs to be done, and harder lines needs to be taken with officials and clubs that are not pulling their weight.
The Football Federation of Samoa (FFS) released today a statement advising clubs and managers that all FFS football activities are postponed until further notice. You can check the full statement below:
FFS Statement. Source: FFS
It is being widely reported that Oceania is facing a measles outbreak. Samoa is one of the most affected countries. They are in state of emergency and schools and commerce are closed there.
It may cause some changes in 2019-20 OFC Champions League because 2019 Samoa Premier Men’s champion is supposed to play the preliminary round of the continental club championship that is scheduled to be played in December.
Enfin la Coupe du Monde c’est arrivée (https://fr.fifa.com/beachsoccerworldcup/). Le 21 novembre va commencer la 10ème édition de la Coupe du Monde de Beach Soccer. L’événement officiel de la FIFA se déroulera en amerique du sud et en particulier a Asunciòn, la capitale du Paraguay. Les 16 équipes participantes sont divisées en 4 groupes. Dans le groupe A, nous retrouvons l’équipe hôte, le Paraguay, avec le Japon, la Suisse et les États-Unis; dans le groupe B il y a l’Italie, le Mexique, l’Uruguay et le vice-champion sortant, Tahiti; dans le groupe C il ya la Russie, les Émirats Arabes Unis, la Biélorussie et le Sénégal; enfin dans le groupe D il ya le Brésil, champion en titre et vainqueur à cinq reprises du championnat du monde qui est un tournoi officiel de la FIFA depuis 2005 (sinon, le Brésil aurait son nome ecrit pour un total de 14 victoires), Portugal, Oman et Nigerie. En plus de l’équipe vert et or, ils ont remporté le laurier mondial une fois la France, dans la première édition officielle, deux fois la Russie et une fois le Portugal (deux avec les non officielles).
Tous les ragroupements
[directement de la FIFA] Quel sont le meilleurs jouers et equipe? En va le voir rapidement. Dans la liste du Brésil, tenant du trophée, on retrouve le gardien Mao (Gant d’Or adidas en 2009), le défenseur Bruno Xavier (Ballon d’Or adidas en 2013) et le pivot Rodrigo. Les spectateurs pourront également voir une nouvelle fois en action, sous les couleur du Portugal, le légendaire Madjer, qui a récolté 11 récompenses individuelles en huit éditions. Les filets devraient trembler souvent grâce notamment au talent de Gabrielle Gori, du Paraguayen Pedro Morán et du Russe Dimitrii Shishin, Souliers d’Or adidas des trois dernières éditions de la Coupe du Monde. Le Japonais Ozu, les Suisses Dejan Stankovic et Noel Ott, le Nigérian Abu Azeez et l’Émirati Walid Mohammad pourront eux aussi faire étalage de leur talent sur le sable paraguayen. Parmi ceux qui vont faire leur retour sur le sable après des absences prolongées en sélection, il faut mentionner l’Américain Nicolas Perera et l’Uruguayen Matías Cabrera.
de la OFC
Les TIKI TOA
Le beach soccer à Tahiti c’est une activité en plein expansion qui pourrait remplacè le football à 11 en tant que première activité sportife dans les prochaines annèe. Il est toujours intéressant de noter que la Polynésie française compte un environ de 200 000 habitants et que la plupart des jouers de l’equipe national viennent de l’île de Tahiti. En bref, nous vivons une dichotomie remarquable entre ce qui pourrait être et ce qui ne l’est pas encore. Mais si nous pensons à Tahiti, il n’est pas difficile d’imaginer à quel point les merveilleuses longues plages de sable blanc qui entourent les côtes de l’archipel constituent le scénario idéal pour voir des centaines de Tahitiens jouer à la plage dès que ce possible. En cela, les résultats obtenus par les Tiki Toa, surnom avec lequel les joueurs nationaux sont appelés et qui signifie Dieux Guerriers, sont là pour aider l’escalade vertigineuse que cette discipline a connue chez eux et qui les a conduit à obtenir des résultats impensables jusqu’à il y a quelque temps. Vous trouverez ci-dessous le tableau des participations et des placements signalés à ce jour par l’équipe nationale tahitienne à la Coupe du Monde de beach soccer:
Le déclic qui a changé l’histoire de la nation polynésienne a été l’édition 2013 organisée chez soi, à Papeete. Ici dessous le hymne de la manifestation.
Les joueurs ont réussi à rejoindre la quatrieme place et cela les a projetés parmi les stars de l’archipel qui est encore aujourd’hui un territoire d’outre-mer français. À partir de ce moment, la conscience de pouvoir jouer au pair contre toutes les grandes puissances du beach soccer a permis le saut qualitatif qui encore n’est pas arrivé dans le football plus traditionnel à onze. L’équipe nationale tahitienne de Beach Soccer c’est la première qui est arrivé au Paraguay. Ce choix est dû au désir de se préparer à 100% pour le Coupe du Monde. En fait, de nombreux matches amicaux en Paraguay sont programmés car au cours de la dernière année l’équipe nationale d’outre-mer n’en a joué que 6 et contre des adversaires de bas niveau. Par conséquance, après deux secondes places consécutives, notre Tiki Toa vont a etre plus agressif, parce que ils vont tenté de remporter la victoire. Au cours des semaines précédant les championnats du monde, nous avons pu contacter trois d’entre eux et leur poser des questions. Nous sommes très heureux d’être le seul réseau non tahitien à avoir la chance de pouvoir raconter trois grands champions du monde de Beach Soccer qui sont les derniers vétérans de la formation qui a participé à la Coupe du Monde de 2013. Le gardien de but de l’équipe, Jonathan Torohia, qui a remporté le Golden Glove en tant que meilleur gardien de l’événement en 2015, a été le premier à nous raconter l’évolution de cette expérience.
Jonathan Torohia de gettyimages
Q: Jonathan vous etes la premiere equipe qui est arrivee en Paraguay. Comment ça va la preparation?
J: Notre préparation se passe très bien. On est arrivé ici il y a une semaine. Pour nous c’était important de vite arriver ici pour notre préparation car on a pas beaucoup joué de matchs de beachsoccer cette année donc on a voulu être ici pour déjà prendre nos repères sur ce sable qu’il y a ici au Paraguay et faires des matchs amicaux.
Q: Quelles sont vos attentes? Vous voulez finalment emporter ce titre?
J: On est venu ici pour faire mieux que la précédente édition, mais on sait également que le beachsoccer a évolue d’année en année. Sortir des poules c’est notre premier objectif après, tout sera jouable. Deux fois vice-champion du monde consécutif, cette année on veux vraiment la gagner.
Q: Qu’il sont votre principaux adversaires pour la victoire finale?
J: Le Brésil qui domine la discipline. Mais il y a aussi le Portugal et la Russie qui peuvent aussi prétendre de gagner le titre
Q: J’ai vu que vous faite l’haka, comme l’equipe de rugby Nouvelle-Zelande. Elle a quelque significations particulier?
J: Bien sur. Nous sommes le Tiki Toa, les Dieux Guerriers de Tahiti e l’haka c’est une danse de guerrier avant d’aller au la guerre.
Q: Quel est la situation du foot and du beach a Tahiti? Tu reussi a travailler avec le beach?
J: Le football se porte bien à Tahiti, le beachsoccer est en développement avec un petit championnat local que l’on met en place pendant la trêve de juillet pendant 2 mois. On est tous des joueurs amateur à Tahiti. Chacun de nous a un autre métier. On ne vie pas du beachsoccer. Moi, par example, je suis Sapeur-pompier dans la commune de Paea depuis 7ans.
Q: C’est un domage. Tu joue aussi a 11?
J: Oui je joue au foot à 11 dans le club de l’AS MANU-URA de Paea dans la commune où je travaille depuis plus de 10 ans où j’ai remporté des titres. Un grand club de foot à Tahiti.
Q: Tu joue aussi avec le Toa Aito?
J: Oui je suis aussi dans les Toa Aito. En peut jouer dans le deux sélections, celle de Beach e celle de Foot . Mais lorsque l’on a des échéances au même moment, on fait un choix, et mon choix est vite fait. Je joue a Beach.
Apres de Jonathan Torohia en va lire le mots de Heimanu Taiarui, vainqueur du Ballon de Or dans la Coupe du Monde du 2015. Heimanu c’est un de meilleur jouer de l’histoire du Beach Soccer mondial. Il a jouè aussi en Italie, en Terracine e Pise, ou il a remportè de titre du championnat.
Heimanu Taiarui
Q: Comment ça va la preparation? Vous etes prets pour le premier match?
H: Pour l’instant nous sommes en plein adaptation a cause du climat et du decalage horaire, on sent un peu de fatigue dans le jambes mais nous somme au top de notre forme.
Q: Quel sont vos aspectatives? Vous allez de repetir la derniere Coupe du Monde?
H: Nous somme là pour etre champion du monde! (il rit) Notre adversaire principal sera le Bresil.
Q: Jonathan m’a dit que vous etes des amateurs n’est pas? Comme c’est possibile de reussir a jouer e a travailler au meme temp?
H: Oui on est tous des amateurs. Nous avons notre travail a coté. On essaye d’avoir de congés sans solde pour pouvoir faire la coupe du monde et les préparations. Il faut avoir de bon patron ce qui n’est pas toujours le cas pour d’autre joueurs. Nous venons tous du foot a 11 car à a Tahiti nous n’avions pas de championnat de Beachsoccer hélas.
Q: Je peut dire que ça c’est un domage. En quel equip a 11 tu a joué? Et tu joue aussi dans l’equipe nationale de foot a 11?
H: Depuis 1 an maintenant je joue en France avec le FC Muespach-Folgensbourg en D3 , et je peux malheureusement pas jouer comme je voudrais dans l’equipe National à cause du travail. J’habite en France à Muespach et je travail en Suisse. C’est presqu’impossible d’aller a Tahiti souvent. De Tahiti nous sommes 4 qui jouons à Muespach, il fait très froid . Beaucoup de froid.
C’est ici le FC Muespach-Folgensbourg
Depuis de ces mots Hemanu m’a dit qu’il parlait italien parce que il a joué ici, dans mon pays. Il m’a raconter des choses qui on va mettre dans un autre article. Mais nous sommes arrives a le dernier jouer, le capitain de Tiki Toa, Raimana Li Fueng Kuee, qui a été ballon de bronze dans la Coupe du Monde du 2013. (Cette interviste a été fait par mon collègue Rafael Sartori).
Raimana Li Fueng Kuee
Q: Salut Raimana, comment se passe la préparation pour la Coupe du Monde?
R: Notre préparation se passe bien. Nous sommes au Paraguay actuellement afin de nous acclimater au pays et aussi faire des matchs amicaux. Nous n’avons pas l’occasion de pouvoir affronter autant d’équipes chez nous à Tahiti donc c’est une opportunité pour nous ainsi qu’un bon moyen d’avoir des matchs dans les jambes.
Q: L’OFC est une petite confédération et les Tiki Toa sont la meilleure opportunité pour obtenir de bons résultats dans les tournois internationaux. Tahiti peut-il être champion cette année?
R: Je ne sais pas, le niveau progresse énormément chaque année mais en tant que compétiteurs, bien sûr qu’on souhaite remporter ce tournoi et nous ferons tout pour y arriver
Q: Que pouvons-nous attendre de Tahiti dans ce tournoi?
R: Je suppose que tout le monde attend à ce que nous gagnions cette Coupe du Monde mais comme je t’ai dit le niveau est énorme… Et nous sommes que des amateurs, il ne faut pas l’oublier, contrairement aux joueurs contre qui nous jouerons.
Q: Tahiti a été finaliste à deux reprises dans la Coupe du Monde. Tiki Toa, ne sont-ils pas les meilleurs amateurs du monde?Et comment était le sentiment d’atteindre deux finales et de ne pas remporter la Coupe du Monde?
R: (il rit) Oui si on veut !!! Franchement, c’est affreux ! Passer à deux doigts du trophée, je t’assure que c’est terrible surtout au Portugal (2015) où nous aurions pu la remporter, à mon avis, peut-être le stress ou le manque d’expérience… Mais, avec le recul, on se dit que ce n’est pas si mal que ça par rapport à tous nos efforts fournis et nos sacrifices…
Q: Décidément, les Tiki Toa sont une grande fierté pour l’Océanie! Comme il est important pour vous d’être le capitaine de l’équipe?
R: C’est juste pour gagner le toast !! (il rit de nouveau) Non sérieusement, c’est une fierté comme de pouvoir représenter son pays dans les plus grandes compétitions.
Q: Comment se porte la Tahiti Beach Soccer Ligue? Certains joueurs jouent-ils également dans des équipes de football à onze joueurs?
R: Le football reste le sport N°1 à Tahiti, par rapport au Beach Soccer. On joue tous au football à Tahiti à la base mais dans différents clubs.
Q: Les athlètes Tiki Toa sont les meilleurs au monde. Pouvez-vous prendre le niveau Toa Aito en jouant à onze joueurs?
R: Il faudrait déjà qu’on soit sélectionné. Ce qui n’est pas le cas…On nous a toujours demandé de choisir une des deux sélections, que l’on ne pouvait pas faire les deux, le choix a été rapide.
Q: J’ai tellement encouragé l’équipe qui est venue ici en Bresil dans la Confederation Cup 2013. Pouvez-vous jouer à nouveau aujourd’hui? Teaonui joue sur le terrain, sur le sable et sur le court. Heimanu Taiarui – FIFA Best WC Il pourrait être très bon sur le terrain?
R: Oui cette année-là j’étais le capitaine de cette équipe, mais le coach m’a demandé de faire un choix (ce que je ne comprends toujours pas) mais certains joueurs de l’équipe n’acceptaient pas que je joue dans les 2 sélections. J’ai fait mon choix et aujourd’hui je ne le regrette pas. Non aujourd’hui je suis trop vieux pour le foot à 11. Avec le deux on a joué ensemble à Pirae et nous avions battu Auckland City à Tahiti. Mais c’est toujours très bon à Pirae.
Les Tiki Toa
La Coupe du Monde pour le Tiki Toa va commençer jeudi prochain avec le premier match face a l’Italie, qui va a etre la principal rival dans le group. En espere que notre Dieux Guerriers peuvent allez le plus loin possible dans la Coupe du Monde.
Oceania Football Center 