Gunemba puts NZ stint on hold

 By HENRY MORABANG

PAPUA New Guinea soccer players Raymond Gunemba and Nigel Dabinyaba have put their proposed playing stint in New Zealand on hold following complications in obtaining New Zealand sports visas. 

Coach and manager Peter Gunemba revealed this to The National from Lae after the Lae City Dwellers forwards could not take up the offer to play with Kapiti Coast in the Wellington League.

“The two men had waited for two months after the National Soccer League grand final but nothing fruitful was forthcoming so they will have to wait until next season,” a disappointed coach said.

Coach Gunemba said the club – Kapiti Coast – was not a professional club.

They had to look for jobs for these two players before they can travel.

In fact, they had secured two job placements but the visa problem delayed travel and the jobs were taken up by other applicants.

“We lodged the visa application at the close of the NSL season and are yet to receive any reply from the New Zealand High Commission in Port Moresby,” he said.

The coach said the boys wanted to sincerely apologise to all their supporters, families and friends for the let-down. Gunemba said despite the let down, Kapiti was still interested in their services next season so they would join them next season after the 2016 National Soccer League season.

The men will remain to play for Poro and for Dwellers next year in the meantime.

Kapiti Coast and Lae City Dwellers are planning a sister-football club relationship. 

The formalities of such arrangement will be sealed once everything fall in place to allow the development of players between Lae City Dwellers and Kapiti Coast.

Gunemba said its development  would depend on Raymond and Nigel, whose performance should open the door for other players under the arrangement. Attempts to contact the New Zealand High Commission office in Port Moresby were unsuccessful.