Training has intensified for PNG Men’s national soccer team as they prepare for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022- Oceania qualifier in Qatar next month.
The Kapuls have welcomed an addition to their training program at the PNG Football Association Football Education Centre with the team now using new gym facilities.
Team Manager, Joseph Ealedona said the boys are enjoying the use of the gym after the acting Centre Manager, Stanley Khanna opened the facilities for the Kapuls.
Ealedona said this gives added confidence and a morale booster and thank the PNGFA for doing all it can for the team.
“Training has intensified and with the gym sessions added on using these new facilities, we are looking forward to better outcomes. It gives a total new dimension to our team’s preparations with the consistent gym sessions weekly.
“We have a gym instructor and a qualified chef fulltime, we now have a Doctor and Physio adding on the coaching team led by Brazilian Gusmao. We are now discussing and finalizing player contracts, these are all good for the team,” Ealedona said.
He said the Kapuls will have an additional week in Lae and return to Port Moresby for another week before flying out to Qatar in March.
Currently, Ealedona is in regular contact with Europe-based David Browne and Melbourne-based Tommy Semmy who look forward in joining the team in Qatar.
“While Tommy is ready to travel, we are still working on the paperwork for Browne and I was in telephone discussions with him early this week. He is waiting for one or two more support documents. It is an important document so we will await the completion of the document and register with our PNG Office of Immigration for processing.”
The team is hopeful the documents are cleared before their match against New Zealand on March 18.
Ealedona said the coaching team is working hard as well as the players and they all are looking forward to representing the country.
“For many of them this could be their final representation for Papua New Guinea. They are very experienced and versatile players with the injection of young exciting talent players who still have some years on them and we will be competitive,” he added.
Ealedona said the team is in representative duties abroad and need the support of the country.
“Representing the country is a humbling experience and we will fly the PNG flag with pride .With our experiences, the entire team from PNGFA President, executives, MA Presidents, team management and coaching team and the boys, we are confident of doing well. We just need your support.”
PNG’s first match is against a highly fancied New Zealand side on March 18, in the second match they play New Caledonia on March 21, who will field a mixture of local and overseas talent from Europe competitions.
On March 24, PNG meets Fiji at Al Arabi Stadium, Fiji will be led by veteran marksman, Roy Krishna, who has been confirmed as captain of a 24-strong Fiji national men’s squad named this week.
Thirty-four-year-old Krishna, who plays his club football with India’s ATK Mohun Bagan, is the sole overseas-based player named for the ‘Bula Boys’, with the rest of the group made up of talent from Fiji’s Digicel Premier League competition.