"Island" teams have an uphill battle

Waitakere United has conceded defeat and now look forward to 2009 to make its long anticipated redemption.  If there was anything to be drawn from this year's trek to Japan, then it is that we have not only a long and winding road, but an uphill one too.

Whilst clubs like Waitakere and Auckland may soon have the capacity to attract fringe J-League or European professionals, it will be very difficult for 'island' clubs to follow suit.  New Zealand FA now has a geniune case to pursue a semi or professional league of its own.  However, we in the islands just do not have the potential to do that.  Not only do we lack the financial backing, the capacity is just not there.

So am I advocating a surrender?  No, I am calling for a more concerted effort from the entire Oceania.  We have a unique chance and our hope lies in the totality of our approach.  Our success will lie in our unity to persevere as a single entity.  Simply because we do not have the capacity, financial or otherwise, to go at it alone like Australia, England and the rest of the world.  Here a two simple suggestions.

Firstly, our hope lies in exporting our players to compete in professional leagues beyond Australia and Asia.  Our target group should not be the Totori's, the Krishna's or Maemae's.  They have had their chance; now we are looking for younger talents like these boys to attend academies and develop the basics right from the very beginning.  Take a look a Christian Kerembeu, he left New Caledonia at 17 and graced the World Cup at his peak.  It is unfortunate that our current crop of top Oceania players are well past that point.  If Totori or Krishna were to break into the MLS or a 3rd tier league in Europe then congratulations to them but it will never help our O-League teams to compete.

Secondly, the right winning formula is for our "island" federations to develop schools of excellence, develop long term strategies to be competitive.  These should not be your once in a blue moon workshops but world class coaching and development programs.  That is the only way forward, that is the only way we can truly compete in the World Club Championships.  Until some form of professionalism takes root in the 'islands' I have no qualms with FIFA ensuring that Oceania champions still play the playoffs to earn a spot in the WCC. I am glad this time it was not Kossa up against Adelaide United.

 However, harsh that may be; lets look to the future with bigger plans.