Matavera-Ngatangiia Football Club partners with top NZ academy

The Matavera-Ngatangiia Football Club (MNFC) has forged a relationship with one of New Zealand’s top football academy.

Established in 1997, the Olé Football Academy based in Porirua, Wellington, has produced numerous players for New Zealand age-group national sides and for the two senior sides, the All Whites and Football Ferns.

MNFC coach Raymond Newnham said: “This is an exciting opportunity for young players at our club that have the desire and the ability to play football at higher levels overseas.”
“Through the connection with Olé, we can offer them a pathway to continue their football development and explore potential educational and career opportunities in football.” 

The relationship began with a MNFC player, Tamuera Newnham, attending a camp in January this year at the Porirua academy. The camp was for U14 and U15 years-old girls and boys from around the North Island of New Zealand. From the 20 players at the camp, three players have been invited back to another camp in July. Tamuera was one of the three.  

As part of the relationship, the Olé technical director Alan Koch will come to Rarotonga in September this year to spend a week working with the MNFC players.