VFF annouces Dream Team for Olympics

Vanuatu's Olympic Squad dubbed the Dream Team that will leave Port Vila this weekend for OFC Men's Olympic Football qualifier tourney in New Zealand have the backing of the Nations like no other team before them

Lucien Hinge has forced his way into the Vanuatu

Yesterday night at Teouma Academy, the Vanuatu Football Federation announced the names of the 23 squad and many sports commentators have given a thumps up for the team.

Never in the entire history of Vanuatu Football has Vanuatu produced such talented players that now carry the burden of qualifying Vanuatu Football for the first time to the Olympics.

First they will embark on two weeks of friendly games and training in the Australian city of Brisbane at Gold Coast before catching the flight to New Zealand where they are expected to perform their national duty.

Vanuatu is pooled with two other Oceania football powerhouses Solomon Islands and Fiji but will play their first group game against American Samoa.

Host New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Tonga are in the other pool.

The teams will play each other in a round robin format with the two top teams advancing to the last four. After the semi-finals a winner will determined to represent the OFC at the London 2012.

It is a feat that Vanuatu has never achieved but football commentators are optimistic that Vanuatu has the players to produce the results if they put their minds and hearts to that national goal.

The person charged with leading the boys achieve their dream is former National Player coach Richard Iwai. Nearly all his players play Premier Division football in the National League.

List of final 20 players travelling to Brisbane this Sunday and Non-travelling reserves are:

Team Manager/ Media: Harry Atisson
Technical Advisor: Christian Chosson
Head Coach: Richard Iwai
Assistant Coach: Obed Jimmy
Cook long Australian camp: Sam Tekon

Players:

Goalkeepers: Selonie Pakipole Iaruel (Tafea FC)
Willie Siri (Spirit 08 FC)

Players:

Johnny Tiraeng (Amicale FC)
Willie Ola Jimmy *Shepherds United FC)
Junia Norman Vava (Seveners United FC)
Kevin Shem Iata (Tafea FC)
Lucien Hinge (Tafea FC)
Brian Kaltack (Erakor Golden Star FC)
Dominique Fred (Shepherds United FC)
Ivong Wilson (Shepherds United FC)
Eddison Stephen (Shepherds United FC)
Roddy Lenga (Amicale FC)
Octav Meltecoin (Spirit 08 FC)
Sailas Namatak (Tafea FC)
Barry Manasale Kalpovi (Tupuji Imere FC)
Kensi Tangis (Amicale FC)
Bernard Daniel (Spirit 08 FC)
Robert Tasso (Spirit 08 FC)
Didier Kalip (Spirit 08 FC)
Jean Kaltack (Erakor Golden Star FC)

Non- travelling Reserves

Rodney Serveux (Tupuji Imere FC)
Malon Kaltanak (Tupuji Imere FC)
Tousi Simon GK (Siwi FC)


Story by R.Binihi

Updated On Thursday, February 23, 2012