Head coach of the PNG Men’s National Football Team, has expressed frustration at what he deems a lack of prioritisation by the governing body in Papua New Guinea.
Flemming Serritslev, has said that despite the successes so far on the international front, the support for the national team has been far from perfect.
After the successful hosting of the OFC Nations cup, in May, culminating in a first time final appearance against New Zealand, Papua New Guinean football has never seen a period such as seen in the year 2016.
Despite all of this however, Head Coach Serritslev feels that in some cases, the treatment of his players prior to reaching their toughest challenge yet, has been unfair to say the least.
The unavailability of players for valuable training camps, and lack of funds for travel another concern, especially with World Cup qualification in three months time.
Against Malaysia and Iran, Papua New Guinea would face quality opposition, as they looked to improve on their international standing, but after having arrived in Singapore, and having no further tickets to travel to Kuala Lumpar, Serritslev says that if it wasn’t for the efforts of individuals rather than the association, the national team would have faced an embarrassing situation.
Serritslev’s revelations cap off what has been a challenging year for the PNG football Association – and with uncertainty over the actual start of the National soccer league, as well as the organisations lack of leadership at the moment, this will only highlight the desperate need for a more professional approach to PNG football, and the direction needed to move forward.
