Twenty years after leaving mark on the game, the next generation of players and officials are coming through.
It is now the turn of the children of former national players like Kaison Maki, former FIFA Assistant Referee Elize Doriri and Craig Vuke, Referee Instructor Carlo Nasse taking the stage as seen in the 2019 Vanuatu Football Federation National Youth League Championship.
The tagline ‘Football in the family’ portrays many good football players and officials following in their parents footsteps, here we featured 6 of them that participated in the Vanuatu National Youth League that successfully ended in Luganville last week.
Darren Maki
Darren is 17yo left sided midfielder like his dad and he plays for Luganville Men’s U17.
His dad Kaison Maki is a veteran national team midfielder who played in the final of the 2000 Oceania Club Championship with Napier City Rover FC and under the manager Juan Carlos Buzzetti in the 2000 Oceania Nations Cup Semi-final between Australia and Vanuatu at Stade de Pater in Tahiti.
Australia through Frank Farina won by 1-0 through a penalty shot taken by Kevin Muscat.
Willie Bong
A tall and physical Willie Bong is always a threat at set pieces and at the match between Luganville U17 and Penama U17 he scored a headed final goal from the last corner of the game.
Willie is a 16yo student from Santo East School in Luganville on Santo.
His father Vital Bong coaches the Youth national team at many national and regional competitions including the assistant coach of Vanuatu in the 2017 FIFA U20 World Cup in South Korea.
Chima Chillia
15yo Chima Chilia goes to Onesua Presbyterian College and he played for Port Vila Men’s U17 and like his father Seimata Chillia a former national rep who has gone fame for his midfield skills and ended his career with Amicale FC in 2009, played for Lautoka FC in 2009, Ba FC in 2008, Yatel FC in 2007, Suva FC in 2003, Australian Fawkner Blues FC in 2002, and started his career with Tupuji Imere FC.
Chima was the youngest and smallest player in the Vanuatu National Youth Futsal team that played the OFC Youth Futsal tournament in 2017 in New Zealand and they won bronze.
He is currently attached to Mauriki Football Club in the Port Vila league under coach Frank King
Glen Doriri – Assistant Referee
Glen is an 18yo assistant referee from Ambrym in the Luganville Football Association.
He is the son of former FIFA Assistant Referee Elize Doriri who has made a name for Vanuatu when he officiated matches in the 2002 FIFA World Cup hosted by Japan and Korea.
Chelsea Vuke – Center Referee
22yo Chelsea is the daughter of late Gray Vuke at one time the Port Vila Football referee president and instructor and also a member of Vanuatu Football Federation referee committee and served as a FIFA Assistant Referee, and in 2003 he was nominated by Oceania Football and FIFA as a FIFA Assistant referee in the 10th FIFA U-17 World Cup in Finland.
She is a youth referee hoping to raise her levels in 2020.
George Nasse – Assistant Referee
George is 22yo and is the son of former VFF Referee Instructor Carlo Nasse now the Referee Development Officer, participating in National Youth League Championship following in his father’s footsteps.
He attended an introductory youth referee course in 2019 and hopes to achieve his Level 1 certification in 2020.
President Lambert Maltock’s speech on the opening of the tournament at Freswota School and again at the closing of the Youth League Championship in Luganville, emphasized that the strategy VFF is using seeks to ensure these youth players and youth referees advance into the world cup stages in 2026.
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Cover photo by frank mckenna on Unsplash
