Terry Maddaford: NZ vital to hold Oceania steady

Fiji's Vineel Naidu (L) and New Zealand's Cameron Howieson during the match between Fiji and New Zealand at the Oceania Under-17 Championship. Photo / Getty Images

Already rocked by the scandal which cost president Reynald Temarii his job, the Oceania Football Confederation faces further scrutiny this weekend.

Delegates from the 11 OFC nations are today in Pago Pago, American Samoa, for their four-yearly congress where the only business is to elect a president and seven-strong executive committee.

It's inexplicable in that many of these power-brokers have been in Auckland this week at the OFC Under-17 Championships. And, in most cases, delegates heading to the far-flung outpost have to travel through Auckland to get there.

That the OFC shelled out between $50,000 and $100,000 for an election, at a time when the organisation is seeking to cut costs, beggars belief. The elections could have been held at one of the meetings in the past few weeks at which the only business was to confirm "Yes, we do need to hold a meeting."

The smaller nations argue the congress should be spread around but holding it at the same time as a World Cup qualifying tournament is a smack in the face for those involved.

Since Australia pulled anchor and drifted off to join Asia, New Zealand - apart from the occasional futsal or beach soccer tournament and last year's Club World Cup - has flown the Oceania flag internationally.

The efforts of New Zealand teams - in men's and women's tournaments at various age groups (including last year's World Cup) - have convinced Fifa there is a place for the fledgling confederation.

Off the field, too, New Zealand has helped ensure things "are done right" to maintain credibility. Unlike other countries, New Zealand's OFC representatives have not filled their pockets but handed their stipend back to the national body "for the good of the game".

Now it seems that solid foundation built by Charlie Dempsey and New Zealand is in danger of being eroded.

The presidency is certain to move from Tahiti's Temarii - serving a one-year suspension imposed by Fifa's ethics committee - to Papua New Guinean David Chung.

He will win close to unanimous support. His only opposition, as it stands, will come from New Zealand Football chairman Frank van Hattum and OFC senior vice-president and NZF OFC representative Fred de Jong. But it appears likely that by the time of the ballot one of them will have stepped aside.

Temarii, despite the ban, has apparently kept in close contact with many of his former executive. There have been suggestions that members will be asked to support a payout to Temarii, perhaps to cover some of his legal costs. That would be a disgrace.

There is a strong feeling the French influence - Tahiti, New Caledonia and Vanuatu - is poised to become the dominant force.

While the presidential vote appears one-sided, it is the election of the executive which could lead to Oceania's demise. Ten nations have made nominations for the executive with only PNG missing. Given the manner in which such elections have been stage-managed in the past, New Zealand could be left without a voice.

As Fifa president Sepp Blatter will be in Pago Pago, that does not bear thinking about.