Lam commits to Kumuls

By KEVIN TEME
KUMULS coach Adrian Lam has knocked back two offers to coach in Australia to stay back in PNG and help prepare the national team for the 2013 World Cup in England.
Lam in a press conference in Port Moresby this week said he had turned down his current job as coach for the St George Illawara Dragons Under-20 team and also a long-term contract with Castleford RLFC in the English Super League.
“Castleford Tigers in England offered me a three-year deal to consider but I turned it down.
“I want to help prepare the Kumuls because we are behind on the fundamental skills of the game,” Lam said.
Lam was emotional after the Kumuls 26-0 victory over Fiji Bati, levelling the Sun Engineering Test series 1-1 but clinched the cup due to a better points differential.
“It will take time to build the players and we need support from the government and business houses to put the money in there and start bringing the players in early, put them in camps three or four times a year.
“There is also a need to start building from the junior level,” Lam said.
“We have the junior development side, the elite side, the emerging Kumuls and the Kumuls and we bring them together in camps and start teaching them the basics of footy,” Lam said.
“It will take five to six years in making Kumuls a very competitive side and it starts now.
“The opportunity is to start now so long as we get the right people with the heart for rugby league to run the affairs of the PNGRFL.
“I do not care who is elected to the PNGRFL board at this month’s annual general meeting (AGM) but they must have the heart for rugby league,” Lam said.
“New Zealand were not as competitive against Australia four or five years ago but they are now the world champions.
“That’s because they have a good junior pathway and if we can have that, we can also beat Australia and New Zealand.
“That’s what I want to see implemented soon,” he said.
Lam will reside in the country for personal reasons as well as to look after the Kumuls over the next three years.
Meanwhile, Lam said he would attend the PNGRFL AGM in Lae this month and would be discussing some of these issues with the new board once elected.