Maori Football NZ have unveiled all of their Head Coaches for the 2020 campaign.

The annual Trans-Tasman Clash of the Cultures series, which was held in NSW in January this year, is set to be the biggest competition yet and will be back in New Zealand.  

At the helm of Nga Wahine Whanapoikiri (Senior Women) team – who are currently unbeaten after two Clash of the Cultures campaigns – is Asher Trotter.

Trotter is the current coach of the Hibiscus Coast Women’s Conference side having previously been involved with the Women’s set up at Lotto NRFL Club Forrest Hill Milford.

Nga Tane Whanapoikiri (Senior Men) will have Richard Kerr-Bell in charge.

Kerr-Bell brings a wealth of experience with him, currently coaching Green Island’s Southern Premier League side as well as formerly being involved with Southern United in the National Youth League.

In the junior ranks, Papakura City’s Tim Bodger will once again lead Nga Tama Whanapoikiri (U-14 Boys) while Tauranga City’s Kieran Mischewski will lead the inaugural Nga Kotiro Whanapoikiri U-14 Girls team.

Maori Football NZ’s Kaitiaki Phillip Pickering-Parker was pleased with the quality of applications for the four Head Coach positions.

“There was a very high calibre of coach applications including international candidates, which clearly indicates there is a keen following of the movement both internally and externally,” Pickering-Parker said.

It was a first for the organisation to seek external coaches, something that was prompted off the back of the 2019 Trans-Tasman Clash of the Cultures campaign.

“We felt it was timely and important to provide opportunities to others to add their value to the legacy we are creating and for them to experience the pride that comes with representing Maori.

“We are very excited by the appointments and the fact that they come from all around New Zealand – from Te Waipounamu up to Tamaki Makaurau.”

2020 Maori Football NZ Head Coaches
(14 Girls) Nga Kotiro Whanapoikiri – Kieran Mischewski – Ngatiwai
(14 boys) Nga Tama Whanapoikiri – Tim Bodger – Tainui
(Snr Women) Nga Wahine Whanapoikiri – Asher Trotter – Ngati Ruanui
(Snr Men) Nga Tane Whanapoikiri – Richard Kerr-Bell – Ngapuhi

Story Credit: Steph Trowill

Article added: Wednesday 09 October 2019