Squad for premier event named

Cook Islands national football mens team coach Maurice Tillotson has announced the names of 18 players who will represent the Cook Islands at the Pacific Games football tournament. The tournament will take place from August 27 to September 10 in New Caledonia.

The squad has a strong home-based representation with 12 local players named.

The remainder of the squad is made up of players currently playing in New Zealand and Australia.

This prestigious tournament gives Cook Islands players a chance to test their footballing skills against some of the top countries in the Pacific, says Tillotson.

He went on to say the team will be looking to punch above their weight in terms of competing against countries with much larger populations, stronger football culture and footballing resources.

The local players have sustained their fitness levels after the 5-a-side season concluded by continuing with a demanding training schedule which includes technical and tactical work. A weekly 11-a-side game is also programmed into their agenda.

The Oceania Football Confederation originally planned to use the football tournaments at the Pacific Games in New Caledonia as part of the qualification process for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, as had been the case in Samoa four years earlier.

But the participation of Guam, a member of the Asian Football Confederation, in the respective football tournaments has left the OFC Executive Committee with no other option but to scale back its involvement. The mens tournament at the XIV Pacific Games 2011 will therefore no longer act as the first stage of qualifying for the 2014 FIFA World Cup while the womens event will likewise not be part of the 2012 Olympic Games qualification process. The Pacific Games remains a premier event for the Pacific Island nations with 11 mens and 10 womens football teams attending.

The Cook Islands National mens team was last in action in 2009 when they played 2 international test games against Tonga.

On that occasion the teams proved to be closely matched with Cook Islands winning the series after gaining a win and a draw.

Squad members for the Pacific Games are Tony Jamieson (NZ), Ngatokorua Elikana (Avatiu), John Pareanga (Matavera), Mii Joseph (Tupapa), Tahiri Elikana (Avatiu), Allan Boere (NZ), Nathan Tisam (Nikao), Branden Turepu (Tupapa), Campbell Best (Tupapa), Nicholas Funnell (Australia), Grover Harmon (Tupapa), Roger Manuel (Tupapa), Joseph Ngauora (Australia), Taylor Saghabi (Australia), Tuka Tisam (Nikao), Anoanga Tisam (Nikao), John Michael Quijano (Nikao) and Eugiene Tatuava (Tupapa).

The team is coached by Maurice Tillotson and managed by Paul Turepu.