The tournament is an opportunity for the young Caledonians to play against overseas teams where the level and the game will be different to what they have previously experienced in their own country.
‘’It is a chance for our young players to be involved in a tournament such as this.
‘’We are the only team from overseas so there will obviously be some attention focused on us,’’ says organiser Didier Blanc, a sports teacher at Lycee Do Kamo in Noumea.
‘’This will be an experience that allows the group to see what is happening outside New Caledonia.“
Blanc says the programme these players are involved in a three year programme, with this group approaching the half-way point.
“On the coaching side , we will be able to gauge the level of our players and evaluate the and the work done in the national teams,” he says.
“This programme has been spread out over three years, from Seconde to Terminale (Years 11-13), and these players are arriving at the mid-point of the journey.”
For several members of the squad it will be the second major football tournament they’ve left Le Caillou to take part in, with nine of them having taken part in the 2015 OFC U-17 Championship in January.
During that tournament, New Caledonia showed great potential and nearly beat the eventual winners New Zealand in the Group Stage, however the Kiwis eventually prevailed 5-4 to finish top of Group A.
Despite that loss New Caledonia qualified for the semi-finals, but their run to the final was halted by Tahiti when the French Polynesian’s beat them 3-2.
The future opponents of the UNSS U-17 team will be aware of the talent of the players from the French territory and on their side, the young Caledonians are being offered the opportunity to showcase their capabilities on the field.
The tournament will be held at Seddon Fields in the suburb of Westmere in Auckland, New Zealand, on 20-22 March 2015.
New Caledonia UNSS U-17 squad
Joris KENON (New Caledonia U-17)
Maki ROMONE
Dorian FRANCES
Gaetan GOPE-IWATE
David XALITE
Jacques WAZIZI (New Caledonia U-17)
Joseph HNAGONE (New Caledonia U-17)
Henri BOUCHERON (New Caledonia U-17)
Jean-Marc KAUDRE (New Caledonia U-17)
Baptiste THIHMANA
Albert WATRONE
Johannes BERNOLES
Ernest AKON (New Caledonia U-17)
Jordan HAEKO
Etienne POANOUI (New Caledonia U-17)
Brandon STREETER (New Caledonia U-17)
Armand HARPER (New Caledonia U-17)
Sylvain FASSA
New Caledonia UNSS U-17 fixtures
UNSS vs Richmond, Friday 20 March, 9am, field 2
Central vs UNSS, Friday 20 March, 12.30pm, field 3
UNSS vs Miramar, Friday 20 March, 4pm, field 6
UNSS vs Halswell, Saturday 21 March, 8.30am, field 1
Fencibles vs UNSS, Saturday 21 March, 12pm, field 4
Men’s finals will be played on Saturday 21 March from 4pm.
For more on New Caledonia football visit www.fedcalfoot.com
For more on the Auckland City FC U-17 Youth Tournament visit www.acfcyouth.com

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