The Cook Islands football side arrived in Doha, Qatar, on Wednesday last week (Cook Islands time) and are getting acclimatised to the conditions before the Oceania World Cup Qualifiers kicks off this Wednesday.

The national side played a warm up match against a local club yesterday to allow coach Alan Taylor to prepare his side for their opening clash against the Solomon Islands on Thursday at 4am.

Cook Islands Football Association (CIFA) competition manager, Pauline Dean said the warm up match would have allowed the management team to gauge the players fitness’s’ and combination in lead up to the opening clash.

The Cooks’ squad includes eight Rarotonga-based footballers, but the bulk of it is made up those playing in New Zealand, Australia and even London.

The locally-based players have been in training three to four times a week since late December. English coach Taylor has been taking those sessions, and admits the inability to bring players together could be an issue.

“Due to players being so spread out and Covid restrictions, we have not been able to train or play as a squad, nor have I been able to visit any of the overseas-based players to watch them play or train as well as assess their physical condition or readiness for the competition in Qatar,” Taylor earlier said.

While Taylor, who was also the national coach in 2000-01, appreciates their underdog status, he said they would play with pride and passion and never give up.

Their foreign-based players include eight who play in New Zealand, four in Australia and Tyrrell Barringer-Tahiri of AFC South London.

Cook Islands will take on Tahiti and Vanuatu in their remaining matches.

The squad consists of the following: Rarotonga-based: Grover Harmon (Tupapa Maraerenga FC), Anthony Samuela (Tupapa Maraerenga FC), Avi Enoka (Tupapa Maraerenga FC), Tahiri Elikana (Nikao Sokattak FC), Toru Mateariki (Nikao Sokattak FC), Tamaiva Mateariki (Nikao Sokattak FC), Dwayne Tiputoa (Puaikura FC), Jarves Aperau (Puaikura FC); New Zealand-based: Daryl Areai, Lee Harmon, Ben Mata, Ishaq Nazeem, Maro Bonsu-Maro, Harlem Simiona, Orin Ruaine-Prattley, Emiel Burrows; Sydney-based: Kerim Kumsuz, Ismail Hadife, Taylor Saghabi; Melbourne-based: Thane Beal and London-based: Tyrrell Barringer-Tahiri. Management Team: Alan Taylor (Coach), Paul Farrell-Turepu (Manager), Teina Savage (Assistant Manager), Dr. Teariki Puni (Doctor) and Gareth O’Loughlin (Physio).

• OFC Media/RNZ