The Vanuatu Football Federation (VFF) held a press conference this week to announce that William Malas, Kaison Maki and Percy Avock would be takings the reins of the national team for the qualifying campaign but are yet to identify which of the trio will be named as head coach.
“After very careful consideration and a rigorous recruitment process I am delighted that we have secured the services of three very experienced and respected coaches,” VFF vice-president Robert Calvo said.
“We will annouce later on who will be the head coach of the national team before they head off in June for the World Cup qualifiers. But at the moment the three coaches must work together to select their players and plan their training programmes.”
The trio all have extensive backgrounds in football and currently hold roles within the game.
Maki is a former Vanuatu international who now works for VFF as a Just Play development officer and Malas is the technical director of O-League representatives Amicale, while Avock is part of the coaching staff at New Caledonian side Mont-Dore, who are also competing in this season’s O-League.
Maki has not been involved in international football since his playing retirement and is excited about the challenge.
“I’m very proud and happy to have been appointed as one of the coaches and it will be a great experience for me,” he said.
“The World Cup qualification path is not easy. Our main objective now is to select the right players and start making plans for training. I am looking forward to working with William and Percy – they have a lot of experience in coaching and I am confident that we will work well together.”
Calvo was joined by VFF president Lambert Maltock and technical director Charles Vatu at the conference, during which the coaching appointments for several other Vanuatu national sides were also announced.
Etienne Mermer takes on the U-17 men’s job, Moise Poida assumes the U-20 position and Richard Iwai takes the reins of the U-23 Olympic team.
Florian Sam has also been appointed as the new head coach of the national women’s team.
“We need to support all the coaches appointed today and let them do their jobs,” Calvo said.
“We believe that when our coaching principles and processes are applied, it will produce great results for Vanuatu football in the future. We also believe our new coaches are capable of doing what it takes to establish and fulfill our vision if they commit their time wisely and coach their teams in a proper way.”
For more on Vanuatu football go to www.vanuafoot.vu

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