Bottom-placed PNG Hekari FC Embrace Tough First OFC Pro League Season

Papua New Guinea's foray into Oceania's first professional football league, the OFC Pro League, has been a steep learning curve for PNG Hekari FC. Finishing at the bottom of the table with only eight points from 14 matches, the club acknowledges the immense challenges faced during their inaugural season.

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Back home we have rivalry. There are clubs that compete with Hekari in the National Soccer League. When we try to get players from other clubs, some of them could not release their players. But it's okay. This is just the start of pro league and we give opportunity to our own players

The team's journey was hampered from the outset, notably by the resignation of their head coach in the opening round. Furthermore, unlike other Pacific Island teams that could draw from wider national player pools, PNG Hekari FC largely had to rely on its own club members. General Manager Wira Wama explained that rivalries among local clubs in Papua New Guinea made it difficult to secure players from other domestic teams, forcing Hekari to provide opportunities to its own players.

Despite these hurdles, the club views the OFC Pro League as a critical development platform. Assistant coach Jerry Allan, who took over after the head coach's departure, stated that competing against teams bolstered by national players presented a significant challenge. However, he emphasized that the squad learned a great deal from the experience, even if their final position reflects the team's current reality.

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It [OFC Pro League] opens doors for island players. Now all these players are exposed to professional clubs around the world, and it's a good pathway for all island players.

Wama remains optimistic about the future, believing that the league opens doors for players from the Pacific Islands, exposing them to professional clubs worldwide. He sees the OFC Pro League as a vital pathway for regional talent, fostering the growth of football across Oceania. The experience, though tough, is seen as a crucial first step in elevating the sport within Papua New Guinea and the wider region.

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We have a lot of players that come from the village. We are just a club, but the other countries came with the national players, so they have a little bit upper hand than us, but in terms in terms of competition, I think we matched them well.