Hekari has chance to repeat 2010 achievement

 HEKARI United is a name synonymous with success.
The Papua New Guinea champion soccer club has perhaps its best chance to repeat its tremendous 2009-2010 season, where the club won the O-League, as it was then called, and qualified for the FIFA World Club Cup in the United Arab Emirates.
That was a massive milestone for PNG soccer and showed what the a committed and professional set up could produce.
Some will say that the performances from that season were built largely on the backs of the club’s foreign contingent but the local players were also prominent in that season.
Next month’s Oceania Football Confederation’s Champions League is a short format and will be good from the point of view that teams will not have to put up with a long season of travelling from one part of the Pacific to another to play matches.
It will certainly be less taxing on the players (physically) and the clubs (financially) and presents an opportunity for teams to play fast, hard football and get results.
Hekari with its current roster may not be comparable to the 2010 side.
Age and the departure of some imports means Hekari may not be considered as formidable now as they were then but they do have an experienced core of players led by David Muta, Solomon Islander Joachim Waroi and Fijian Peter Bolaitoga complemented by some classy players, one of which is Solomon Islands gun left-footer Tutizama Tanito.
Vanuatu star Jean Kaltack is another player yet to show his best for the Reds and next month’s tournament could see him dominate the competition.
Hekari is pooled in Pool C with Magenta FC (New Caledonia), Tafea (Vanuatu) and Ba (Fiji) for the championship which is from April 7-19 in Ba/Lautoka, Fiji.
Hekari have the potential to do well here. Winning is certainly in their blueprint.