Soccer aiming high

 HIGH-profile coaching appointments mean higher expectations for Papua New Guinea Football.

Former New Zealand coach Ricki Herbert, pictured, has taken charge of the PNG Under 23 squad, with a commission to win gold at the Pacific Games in July.

The women’s team have set their sights on defending their title on home soil under Australian coach Gary Phillips and making the Rio Olympics in 2016.

PNG Football technical director Taku Niebo said they had been lucky to recruit experienced, high-profile coaches in recent years and with that came more pressure for results.

“The Pacific Games is the qualifier for the next stage of the Olympics for the Oceania region,” Niebo said. 

“Obviously they come at a cost — we are grateful to the Papua New Guinea Olympic Committee, which assists with the financial side of it to be able to lure the high calibre coaches like Ricki Herbert and Gary (Phillips) to be working with our national teams”.

Niebo said Herbert is contracted until the Games but if that goes well, the federation is open to extending and expanding his role. – RNZI