Football: Oceania Pro League kicks off in Auckland

The first game of the season, between Bula FC and Vanuatu United FC kicks off at 3pm, Saturday 17 January at Eden Park.

At 7pm is the New Zealand derby, with Auckland FC taking on South Island United. On Sunday, Tahiti United play South Melbourne FC, followed by PNG Hekari FC against Solomon Kings FC.

In the lead up to the opening game, Fiji’s Bula FC and Vanuatu United FC spent some time acclimatising to the cooler Auckland climate.

Auckland’s weather fluctuations couldn’t keep the boys off the field at Takapuna’s Taharoto Park on Thursday.

While both teams are expecting tough competition, Bula FC’s Roy Krishna said representing his country with pride is a win of its own.

“For our boys it’s a privilege, it’s an honour to be part of the team, and we already have created history just being part of it, and now is the time to perform,” Krishna said.

The striker-forward is no stranger to professional football. He rose from Labasa FC to become one of Oceania’s most decorated footballers, earning more than 60 caps for Fiji, starring for elite clubs across New Zealand and India, and cementing his legacy in 2019 by winning the Johnny Warren Medal as the A-League’s best player and top scorer.

He sees a lot of talent amongst his young teammates and he is confident in their abilities to make it big in their own careers.

“Professional football is not just playing football. It’s the discipline outside the field, how to look after your body.”

“There’s a lot of talents back home in Fiji and across Oceania. But it’s just down to the individual, how much you want it… It’s not an easy journey… I think if the boys have the right mindset, right people around, I think they can go further than me, for sure.”

Krishna looks forward to seeing his teammates make their professional football debut this weekend.

For Maikah Dau, playing alongside Krishna is a life achievement of its own.

“Personally, it’s helped me a lot to learn on the pitch and off the pitch from a player like … Krishna, who has been professional. I’ve learned a lot through him,” Dau said.

At only 16 years old, Dau is the youngest player on Bula FC, however he has already earned his flowers, captaining the U16 Fiji Men’s National Team to qualify for the FIFA U17 Men’s World Cup.

But he said this tournament is different.

“I’m really proud to represent my country in a professional league like this. Really proud, happy … a bit nervous, being the first time being a professional player, but really looking forward to it.”

Dau dreams of going big internationally, hoping to some day play in Europe.

He said the Oceania Football Confederation’s Professional League is opening the doors for Pacific people to achieve such dreams.

“It’s an opportunity for me to showcase my talent. It’s an opener for me to take another step from amateur to professional.”

Bula FC head coach Stephane Auvray said he has noticed a shift in energy since the team arrived in Auckland.

He said the cooler weather also plays a part.

“I think the players probably shifted a little bit towards competition mode. It was great for us coming back to this climate. It’s cooler than in Fiji, so it gave us more energy. The training was dynamic.”

For the Vanuatu players, they look forward to seeing all their hard work put into action on the field.

Vanuatu United FC goalkeeper Matthew Acton said the team are itching to play.

“Everyone’s really excited, we obviously love to play football, and for us, it’s an honour to be able to play that first professional game in this tournament. I guess it’ll be an amazing day for us, and one that will go down the history books.”

He is glad to see the OFC Pro League come to life, and make dreams come true for young footballers across the region.

“It’s probably been a long time coming, and the opportunity now for a lot of the Pacific Island countries, it’s there now for them. So it’s about getting everything right in terms of the governance and the administration side of it and making sure that this competition is sustainable… We want this for generations to come,” Acton said.

Vanuatu United head coach Lars Hopp said the competition will set new standards for football across Oceania.

“For the whole South Pacific region, I think it’s a great new tournament, something to follow hopefully for many years to come. And it will set benchmarks around each country in terms of way of working, the way of playing.”

Hopp said these inaugural games will shape the future of the OFC Pro League.

“It’s new territory, but it feels also with the other teams that we’re all in this together. And it’s a competition, but we also want to help each other and share knowledge to make sure that it becomes a really good competition for the whole region,” he said.

As they approach their first game of the season against Bula FC, Hopp said they are expecting a challenge.

“We know it will be a very difficult game. And then, if you prepare well, if you perform on the day, the result is the outcome, which obviously, we hope will be a good one for us,” Hopp said.

“The boys are just looking forward to the first game.”

He said they will fly Vanuatu’s flag with pride.

“It’s the first time that there is a professional football club or sports team for that matter in Vanuatu. So I think for the players, but also for the staff and the people around the team, it’s a new step, and it’s a new level… So yeah, it’s a proud thing to be part of,” Hopp said.