Courtesy: mattfutsalfejos.com

by Matt Fejos

Interview: Vanuatu Futsal Coach Louis Dominique. Part 1: Cyclone Pam.

“Now that I have seen, I am responsible” – Brooke Fraser.

I was lucky enough to visit Vanuatu in May, for my uncle’s wedding. I became a real fan of the national futsal team in 2013. As part of the OFC Technical Study Group, they were randomly assigned as my team to technically assess. It was one my my most read blog posts, so this is quite a sequel to be able to visit Vanuatu and get to know their people. An opportunity I never though I would get, and one I will never forget. This is for the people of Vanuatu.

I sat down with Louis Dominique, the coach of the national team, to see where the team was and if they still believed in the dream. I was amazed at the humility, courage and sacrifice of a man who lives to lead in his community. There were fresh into the recovery after the devasting and fatal Cyclone Pam. And still are.

Vanuatu Futsal are confirmed, but with a reduced squad, to compete in July in New Zealand in a tournament with Australia, New Zealand and Malaysia. It would be there only competition before the World Cup qualifiers early next year. They still have a dream to make the world cup, and I believe they can be the Cool Runnings of Futsal.

If any of the words below strike a chord with you, if you believe in the power of sport to move, to inspire, to unite. Then please visit and see how you can help. supportvanuatuthroughfutsal

This terrible cyclone, how has it affected life in general in Vanuatu, and the work of developing futsal here?

Yes its affected a lot of lives. Many people have lost so many things. Also the futsal community have lost their only venue where they used to play and train for the national team. It has really slowed down the development of futsal in Vanuatu, and the elite activities.

Do you think it can make Ni-Vans stronger, because its such a big obstacle to overcome?

Yeah, I mean Ni-Vans they always love football, and nothing will stop a Ni-Van from playing football. Even though there’s nowhere to play we can still see kids and everyone still trying to find a little space to have a kick around. It won’t take long for people to start enjoying football and futsal again in Vanuatu. Even life.

What can futsal and the dream of qualifying for a world cup mean for the players and the country too.

Yeah, it would mean a lot. That’s the biggest challenge that we have gone through. And they we have gone through this one. For the preparation, even though we don’t have the means to prepare, we are still determined to have a good preparation for the qualifiers next year. And we are going to make sure we participate in the Wellington competition (July Commonwealth Cup with Australia, Malaysia and New Zealand) as the preparation. Even though we have that challenge, we still have the Columbia Dream.

How hard, how important is it when today we trained at the venue and there is people queuing for food. Its hard to say futsal is more important than food. But do you think the hope that it can bring for the players especially, do you think its important to the recovery after Cyclone Pam to have something to hope and to strive for?

Yeah, it would be very good. Some of them, even though they don’t have food at home, and they don’t even have anything, they have lost everything. But they still want to train, to represent their country. To give them hope, to provide them with something to help would be very helpful and increase the determination and help with the hope that we have to qualify for the world cup.

What do they need the most in trying to fulfill that dream and going into world cup qualifying?

Training time and gear. Slowly we have crops coming back, there’s not really a problem with food now. But the main thing is the time for training, the proper equipment and materials. That’s what we need.

Is it true many don’t work and they live off the land?

Yes, they don’t work, they live off the land. What they get from the land is for sole domestic use, just for the family. They don’t make money out of it. Its hard for them to find money for transport to get to training, that’s one of the main issues. Today you have seen nine boys [at the first training post Pam] some of them could have come if they had money for the bus fare. I know them very well. All of the others haven’t turned up just because they live far from here. Otherwise they would have come. Just money for the bus to go to training. Transport and time for training, that’s the main thing, to achieve the dream.

How far away are crops from getting back to normal?

Now markets are selling vegetables and everybody has vegetables. But some other crops will need a month or two more. But otherwise I don’t see food as a problem [anymore]. With a little bit more food it will be good for the boys and the training. At least they come to training, but they don‘t know if they have something to eat when they go back. Some of them, you can see, they just come, smile, play, enjoy. But they don’t have anything to eat at home. All they have is rice. Cos the love of football brings them together. So they come train, but if you go home you can see the food is not enough.

Thanks for the chat and for having me here. As I said, I watched the team play two years ago and I guess I became a fan then, and liked the way that they played, the smile and the joy, that they play for. I hope I can keep involved and watch from a distance, and I wish you all the best for the campaign.

Thank you.

Please visit the site to see how you can be involved and help Vanuatu Futsal’s dream. The boys from the island who dare to dream. The Cool Runnings of Futsal. Vanuatu Futsal.

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Posted by Mico Martic --> mico.martic@futsalplanet.com