The Vanuatu Football Federation President Lambert Maltock sends his season’s greetings on Christmas Day to his colleague Presidents from the eight Member Associations of VFF and the executive members and newly appointed Administrators and Vanuatu football staff, players their families.
“It is now 25th December 2019, I still feel it necessary to extend my personal Christmas and new year greetings to all Presidents of MAs, Staff of VFF and the MAs, team officials and all players and their respective families”, he wrote in an email.
“How good indeed is our God Almighty and our Lord Jesus Christ in allowing us to see another Christmas season. I wish to take this opportunity to send you these humble photos to wish you and your lovely families a very Merry Christmas and a coming blessed New Year 2020.”
He also sends the message to the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Youth and Sports and also to Vanuatu Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee (VASANOC).
“VFF has appreciated their passion, support and contributions to our football in Vanuatu and our region of Oceania.”
President Maltock said 2019 was a historical turning point when FIFA thumped up with Oceania 11 to lift its ban under new Leadership of OFC taken by Vanuatu.
He pointed out that Vanuatu was in the forefront which convinced FIFA to have strong hope, full confidence and trust for the restoration of OFC and to remain as a full confederation.
“OFC was already being under consideration to be abolished as a confederation of FIFA.”
“VFF was being used as a trial to test the new radical governance reform of FIFA after the departure of former FIFA President and credit given to Vanuatu and fully supported by FIFA and it is a job well done”, he pointed out.
In 2018, Lambert Maltock took the challenge to avoid the intervention of FIFA to establish a normalization committee and suspend some Vanuatu football MAs which failed to report on some substantial funding given by VFF as grants, but after 6 months ban, the institution came back to normalcy with outstanding result and performance rated by FIFA.
“It was indeed thanks to the VFF General Secretary, the Accountant, Finance Assistant, Assistant Administration Officer and all the VFF Staff working collaboratively with the me to ensure that it was only a 6 months ban”, he said.
Maltock also pointed out that out of 20 countries initially trialed by FIFA, VFF was the first to have its ban lifted with high note on its performance and FIFA referred to Vanuatu as an example to show that the FIFA reform policies were functioning well and had a positive impacts on the FIFA MAs around the globe.
“For this reason, FIFA had full trust on Vanuatu as capable of leading Oceania Football Confederation to its restoration and advancement to new heights.”
“For that respect, I wish to take the opportunity to extend to each and everyone of you my personal and humble heartfelt and utmost gratitude for all your support, our collective leadership spirit, commitment, responsibility, unwavering solidarity, strive and collaboration in restoring the credibility of VFF first in the face of world and then again with OFC restoration and new credibility across the globe.”
“I do not hesitate to stress that I am proud of all of you and salute you all for this humble contribution from each of you who are still with us and even some who have already left us. I just cannot thank you enough for what we all together have committed to achieve that, especially to save OFC to continue to remain as a confederation by supporting me to be President of OFC and continue to remain as VFF President to guarantee for first and foremost the stability, credibility, solidarity and advancement of football development in Oceania region.”
“We have demonstrated to FIFA and the rest of the World that we are capable to solve our own problems and even prove that we do not need FIFA intervention to either actually taking over the management or set up normalization committee.”
“Even in our own country, we have proven all wrong about what we have been doing. We have opened pathways which created histories that were not being able to be delivered since 1934. I can go on detailing all these results but I believe each of you who have been with us on this long and challenging journey would have been aware on these success stories because you were part of them.”
“You should be proud of yourself and treat this Christmas and new festivities as a special to celebrate these achievements”, he wrote.
Maltock gave examples to the following success stories:
- Penama Youth Team Champions of U15 Vanuatu National Youth Champions League 2019
- Tafea Youth Team Champions of U17 Vanuatu National Youth Champions League
- Luganville U15 and U17 Girls Youth Teams Champions of Vanuatu National Youth Champions League 2019
- Malampa Revivors FC of Luganville Northern Town, first time new Champions of Vanuatu Club National Super League 2019
- Nalkutan FC Tafea Province first time Champions of Vanuatu Club National Super League 2016/17
- U20 Men qualified for the 1st time ever since 1934 (83 years) to final stage of a most prestigious FIFA World Cup in 2016
- U20 Men high level performance in Korea 2017 against Mexico (2-3) and the great Germany (2-3)
- Senior Men & Women Gold medalist 2017 Pacific Games
- 2015 4 Nations Cup Champion
“All these were achieved under aggressive decentralization policy and commitment despite many strong oppositions and challenges”, he pointed out.
“The majority of the same players in the FIFA U20 World Cup team under coach Etienne Mermer wrote a new historical milestone to have Vanuatu crowned ‘Kings’ of the Pacific in 2017, and our humble neglected ladies became first time ever ‘Queens’ of the Pacific in 2017.
“Also in 2015, Vanuatu under our new academy of elite program won for the first time the Four Nations Cup which is equivalent to Melanesian Cup.”
“This again had demonstrated in fact our capability despite the size of our population and the many challenges facing us such as finance, geographical set up and many others.”
“For that I wish to congratulate each and everyone of you and I salute you all for what you have contributed to make all these achievements possible through your MAs and leagues and clubs both on and off the field. I wish to also thank all Presidents, Administrators and Exco Members of each MA and league for their important and significant contributions during these past 12 years.”
“Well done to you all despite many difficulties and challenges. I believe we have big potentials but need to work harder if we want to advance beyond what we have now to give greater respect to our football and our crazy country of football.”
“Again a Merry Christmas and blessed New Year 2020. Enjoy your holiday festivities and take care until we meet again soon”, he concluded.
President Lambert Maltock signed off his message as Vanuatu Football Federation President, Oceania Football Confederation President, a FIFA Council Member and FIFA Vice-President.
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