Football: Hudson slammed for calling PNG conditions 'crazy'

Anthony Hudson. Photo / AFP.

All Whites coach Anthony Hudson has caused a stir in Papua New Guinea after complaining about the 'crazy, substandard conditions' the OlyWhites face during this week's Olympic Qualifying tournament.

The Olywhites will need to progress through five games in 10 days to earn a spot at the Olympics and Hudson told the Sunday Star Times last week that the crammed schedule "had been set up with no consideration for football or for the players."

But Papua New Guinea Minister for Sport Justin Tkatchenko has slammed Hudson's complaint and suggested that if New Zealand are not happy with the host country, then they should leave.

"I am prepared to fly them out in the Kumul plane if they are not happy with what we are offering," Tkatchenko told Papua New Guinea Today.

"These facilities are checked and are of world standard and if they don't want, they just can leave. Just tell me and I will get them on the next plane back to New Zealand.

"These negative critics coming from New Zealand are pathetic. Don't make up stories if you don't want to play by claiming that the venue is substandard or have squeezed up draws for the games.

"Everything was done according to what they all wanted. All programs were done in consultation with the organisations of the different sporting codes. So if they are complaining they have to go and see who represented them. Otherwise, if they do not want, they simply can leave and I am prepared to put them on the next plane."

The Pacific Games, a multi-sport event with participation exclusively from countries around the South Pacific, are held every four years and will this year include New Zealanders and Australians among the 3000 athletes. New Zealand will send 65 athletes, made up of the 23-strong football squad, 35 weightlifters and seven from taekwondo.

The Olywhites are the only sports team participating in Port Moresby who are not staying at the Games' village.

Fifa decided at the end of last year, in consultation with the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC), to use the Pacific Games matches as Olympic qualifiers in order to save on costs for two tournaments.

Last month NZF CEO Andy Martin also expressed his disappointment about the structure of the tournament to 3news.co.nz.

"In anyone's language playing five qualifiers for an Olympic Games in ten days in Papua New Guinea in the conditions we're going to have is not good for football," Martin said.

"We can't be held back by being part of a confederation where we're being pulled to the lowest common denominator."

The Olywhites open their Pacific Games campaign today at 2pm (NZ time) in their Group D clash with the Solomon Islands.