Paul Oberjurge, familiar to American soccer fans as the long-time soccer writer for Gannett newspapers, is now working for the National in the United ArabEmirates and previews Wednesday’s opening game of the 2010 Club World Cup: Hekari United of Papua New Guinea against Al Wahda of the host UAE. The coaches of both teams have been at a loss about howto prepare for their opponent.
Al Wahda’s Austrian coach, Josef Hickersberger, has the edge, given his club’s greater resources. He flew to PapuaNew Guinea — 19 hours each way — to see Hekari play a league match. “It was a long trip from Abu Dhabi to Sydney to Port Moresby and back via Manila,” he said. “I spent almost two days for 90minutes, and I didn’t see the first five minutes of the match.”
According to Tommy Mana, Hekari’s assistant coach, Hekari never obtained video of afull Wahda game and had been limited to watching snippets of play on YouTube. Upon arrival in Abu Dhabi, he asked a reporter for information about Wahda’s tactics.