The Asia Pacific Football Academy (APFA), based in Christchurch, is currently finishing out the year with a tour of the francophone Pacific Island.
It is an exciting opportunity for New Caledonia’s youth national sides to play against an opposition of up-and-comers from a variety of different countries including Mexico, Korea and Brazil, amongst others.
Also making the trip to New Caledonia is former Mont Dore footballer Mickaël Partodikromo who will be returning to play on home soil for the first time since joining the academy.
The midfielder joined the programme last year and was the last of 24 footballers to be promoted into the 2012 intake.
Engaged in a partnership with Lincoln High School, academy attendees follow a normal school curriculum like other students their age but spend their evenings balancing homework with rigorous training sessions set up by the academy’s head coach Giovani Fernandes.
Five friendly matches have been programmed for the tour, with the FCF technical department keen to see how the national U-17 and U-20 sides fare in the lead up to their respective OFC championships to be held in 2013.
For more on New Caledonia football go to www.fedcalfoot.com
Academy footballers hit New Caledonia
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