As expected, the 23-man squad features a handful of players who took part in Fiji’s Olympic qualifying campaign but there is also plenty of wise heads in the form of seasoned campaigners such as Simione Tamanisau, Taniela Waqa, Pita Bolatoga and Malakai Tiwa.
The strike pairing of Roy Krishna and Osea Vakatalesau has also been named and their partnership could prove crucial to Fiji’s chances of success.
Six players in total have stepped up from the Olympic team – Laisenia Raura, Archie Watkins, Zibraaz Sahib, Akuila Mateisuva, Ilisoni Tuinawaivuvu and Misaele Draunibaka – and should have little trouble fitting into the system. They will be familiar with Buzzetti’s style as the Uruguayan acted as technical advisor to the Olympic squad under coach Imdad Ali, who joins Kamal Swamy in assisting Buzzetti for the Nations Cup.
The event doubles as the second stage of Oceania qualifying for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ and will take place in the Solomon Islands capital of Honiara from June 1 to 10.
Fiji have been drawn in Group B and will do battle with Solomon Islands, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea while Group A consists of New Caledonia, Samoa, Tahiti and Vanuatu.
The teams will take part in a tournament based on a league system with semi-finals and a final and the winner will on to represent OFC in the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup.
The four highest-placed teams from the second stage will then contest stage three of World Cup qualifying – a round-robin, home-and-away play-off series. The matches are foreseen to take place between 7 September 2012 and 26 March 2013 in FIFA windows.
The winner of the third stage will advance to an inter-continental home-and-away play-off against the fourth-placed team from CONCACAF – the confederation of North America, Central American and the Caribbean – for a place at the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™.
Fiji squad for OFC Nations Cup
Goalkeepers
Simione TAMANISAU
Akuila MATEISUVA
Beniaminio MATEINAQARA
Defenders
Avinesh SUWAMY (Ba)
Paulo POSIANO (Rewa)
Samuela VULA (Suva)
Taniela WAQA (Hekari United, Papua New Guinea)
Alvin SINGH (Ba)
ROMUERO (Ba)
Ilaitia TUILAU (Hekari United, Papua New Guinea)
Laisenia RAURA (Ba)
Archie WATKINS (Nadroga)
Midfielders
Pita BOLATOGA (Hekari United, Papua New Guinea)
Malakai TIWA (Ba)
Alvin AVINESH (Lautoka)
Zibraaz SAHIB (Lautoka)
Ilisoni TUINAWAIVUVU (Rewa)
Misaele DRAUNIBAKA (Rewa)
Apisai SMITH (Rewa)
Strikers
Roy KRISHNA (Waitakere United, New Zealand)
Osea VAKATALESAU (Ba)
Kamal HASSAN (Lautoka)
Maciu DUNADAMU (Hekari United, Papua New Guinea)
Management
Coach: Juan Carlos BUZZETTI
Assistant coaches: Imdad ALI and Kamal SWAMY
National teams director: Taranesh REDDY
Manager: Akuila LOGAIVAU
Physio: Varoon KARAN