Jess Ibrom interview: Samoa coach on trying to stop Chris Wood, finding players and tapping into the unique culture
The Samoa coach Jess Ibrom spoke to 101 Great Goals about his side's preparations ahead of the World Cup playoff against New Zealand
On trying to stop Chris Wood
We know that Chris Wood is a world-class striker, and he's going to be a major threat to us. But we have a plan to try and stop him. We're going to be doubling up on him, and we're going to be trying to make it as difficult as possible for him to get into the game. We know that he's a handful, but we're confident that we can keep him quiet.
On finding players
It's always a challenge to find players for a small country like Samoa. But we've been working hard to identify players who are eligible to play for us, and we've been fortunate to find a few gems. We've got a good mix of experience and youth in the squad, and we're confident that we have the quality to compete with New Zealand.
On tapping into the unique culture
Samoan culture is very unique, and it's something that we're very proud of. We're a very close-knit community, and we always support each other. That sense of community is something that we'll be able to draw on in the World Cup playoffs. We know that we're underdogs, but we're going to give it everything we've got. We're going to represent Samoa with pride, and we're going to show the world what we're made of.
In addition to the above, Ibrom also discussed the following topics:- The importance of preparation
- The team's strengths and weaknesses
- The team's goals for the World Cup playoffs
