PNG SOCCER – The Realities of Pretending Leadership

By Sylvester Gawi:

The world’s greatest game still faces a lot of challenges in terms of its development in Papua New Guinea despite millions of dollars being funded by the Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA) to develop soccer in the region.

Majority of the sixteen (16) recognised football associations in PNG are not having active competitions and the level of competency between provincial teams has significantly dropped.

Proper playing and training facilities, academies and skills development programs are yet to be introduced to most affiliated associations under the Papua New Guinea Football Association (PNGFA).

The selection of PNG Mens and Womens soccer teams have been based mainly on successful competitions in Lae, Lahi, Madang and Port Moresby. Smaller town competitions like Wau, Manus, Kagamuga among others have struggled to qualify their players for the semi-professional and national duties.

The missing link has been the absence of active competitions and development programs in schools and communities in rural areas and the sporting facilities, officials and resources to run competitions.

The PNGFA Football Academy in Lae couldn’t cater for all aspiring soccer players in Morobe alone.

The National Government also went on a shopping spree prior to the Pacific Games in 2015 and built massive infrastructures in Port Moresby alone. They could have been similar stadiums and facilities built in Mt Hagen, Lae and Kokopo.

PNGFA President David Chung has been at helm of looking after soccer not only in PNG, but the region as a whole as President of the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) vice president of FIFA.

Under his leadership, many member associations have raised concerns of not getting what they deserve from the PNGFA.

This week, the President of Lae Football Association (LFA) Roy Kamen has lashed out at the PNGFA for inadequate funding to member associations which resulted in no real improvements done for soccer in PNG.

The LFA president has decried getting inadequate funding support from the PNGFA annually to manage its affairs, despite having one of the most successful and a highly competitive competition in the country.

Kamen also stated that Chung is based in New Zealand and doesn’t really know what’s happening on ground with the development of soccer in member associations throughout PNG.

His call was in support of the PNG National Government’s Chief Secretary Isaac Lupari who is the chairman of the National Soccer League (NSL) competition. Lupari has threatened to resign if Chung is retained as the PNGFA president.

In preparation for the PNGFA Annual General Meeting in Kimbe on August 7th this year, key member associations have nominated Hekari Football Association president John Kapi-Natto for the PNGFA presidency seat.

Kapi-Natto is said to be a vibrant local man who has evidently raised the standard of soccer in PNG through the Hekari United football club in the NSL.

The success of the PNG Mens team in the OFC Nations Cup Qualifier is a direct result of the sheer hard work and commitment Kapi-Natto and his wife Vonnie have invested in PNG soccer. However, that has been the commitment they have ten (10) years ago that is showing fulfilment today, but what about the future years of PNG Soccer? Who will the right person to have a vision and gather resources for our aspiring soccer players?

There are adamant solutions to improve soccer in PNG, but it requires a committed leadership to mould and shape the dreams of our soccer people.

Most competitions and tournaments have resorted to corporate and private sponsorships and that hasn’t really drives the identification of talents but rather promote corporate interests.

While I’m writing this there are kids kicking an inflated soccer ball around in school and trying to score in between two wooden stumps, I see a group of girls playing barefoot in the village competition and even worse a soccer team wearing rugby jerseys.

There are many other belittling sights that brings into question what the soccer governing body in PNG has done to develop soccer ad promote fair play in the country.

Let alone our good soccer community can decide for our country and voiceless soccer players, supporters and followers on whom they want to lead PNG’s soccer development.

To sum it up, we can host international tournaments, APEC Meetings and international guests in Port Moresby, but the rot lies in all the provinces out of the National Capital District.

Seemingly for soccer, there is nothing like the level of competency displayed by our elite PNG team at anywhere in the country. Simply because we have done nothing to identify and develop young and upcoming soccer players back in our own villages.