Vega-Arango to lead Kapuls for three years

The Papua New Guinea Football Association (PNGFA) has announced the appointment of Felipe Vega-Arango as PNG Kapuls head coach on Monday, September 2nd, 2024, at PNGFA’s office in Port Moresby.

Vega-Arango has replaced Warren Moon and will be in charge of the Kapuls for three years. The Spanish man was a former head coach of the Solomon Islands men’s football team. He has had successes with the national team, steering them to the 2018 Oceania Football Confederation decider but fell short to New Zealand.

With the departure of Warren Moon, who coached the Kapuls for less than seven months, Vega-Arango takes the reins as he prepares to lead the Kapuls to the World Cup qualifier in October. He has less than six weeks to prepare the boys.

PNGFA President, John Kapi Natto, stated that he and his administration welcomed Vega-Arango and look forward to working with him in preparation for the upcoming world cup qualifier.

“On behalf of PNGFA, we would like to acknowledge the presence of head coach Felipe Vega-Arango and officially welcome him. We are excited and welcome him to PNG. PNGFA will give our full support, with our technical department,” President Natto emphasized. 

“For me as the President, representing the eighteen member associations and all the football lovers in the country, we want to get to the world cup, and that’s a big challenge for us. I think Vega-Arango has come at the right time to develop the next crop of Kapuls.

“He is not new to this part of the world, the Oceania Region. He has spent almost six or seven years in the Solomon Islands Football Federation as the head coach, and also assisting in the technical area.

“As I was looking at the past coaches who have come through, he is the thirteenth coach of PNG football. As I’ve said before in the media, we are looking for a long-term coach who’s willing to come and stay, and also develop a coaching strategy for the national teams, all the way down to the youth going forward.”

Mr. Vega-Arango expressed delight to join the national team (Kapuls), and thanked President Natto, General Secretary Gordon Manub, and the PNGFA administration for taking him on board to coach the Kapuls.

“I want to thank PNGFA, especially the president, for having the confidence in me, and for bringing me over to coach the Kapuls. PNG is a sleeping giant and I believe that PNG football can go to the next level. PNG is the biggest nation in the Pacific, so I believe we should be doing better. If we are humble and work really hard, we can reach new heights,” Vega-Arango said.