For Vanuatu boy, it’s still a long way to reach the top

go through Cohen Lammers

Brian Kaltak still feels in disbelief and can’t even find the right words to describe the football fairytale that completely changed his life.

Just two years ago, the Vanuatu captain had gone nowhere with his professional aspirations after a decade bouncing around Pacific clubs, while his national team was in turmoil and had to abandon its Qatar World Cup qualifiers due to Covid-19 infections within the squad.

Just when he was at his lowest point, he returned to Doha to try to support his disappointed teammates, but a phone call from Australia changed the course of his life forever.

“I was in Qatar for the World Cup qualifiers and then I got the call from the Mariners for a trial,” said Kartak, who grabbed the opportunity with both hands.

In two seasons, the 30-year-old from Port Vila won back-to-back A-League titles and AFC Cups with the Central Coast Mariners and inspired his beloved Vanuatu to their first Oceania Football Championship Nations Cup final in Port Vila in June.

“It’s crazy, I don’t know how to describe it. Everything happened so suddenly. From my debut to winning the A-League and the Asian Cup, everything happened in a flash. It’s crazy.”

“I believe in what I do and I know that everything that happens to me was planned in advance, I just need to work hard and be ready at the right moment,” said the Vanuatu talisman, whose face is plastered on billboards across Port Vila, either promoting football or his personal sponsors.

A few years ago, Karthak could happily walk unnoticed on the streets of his hometown, but everything has changed.

“I’ve become an inspiration to a lot of people and everybody wants to learn something from me. Normally this is my offseason so I just want to get back out here and relax, but now people want me to be out here and about and do this and that. It is what it is and I’m glad people are happy for my success.”

Karthak’s football journey has been a long and slow one since first experiencing the joys of football overseas at Wellington’s Karori Seaside Club.

“It’s been a long journey. Success doesn’t come overnight, it takes time, especially for a kid from the island,” said Kartak, who was grateful to OFC chairman Lambert Martok for arranging a first adventure in New Zealand for the 18-year-old talent from the VFF Academy.

The investment paid off handsomely for Martoke, who said Kartak’s success with the Mariners had forever changed the way people viewed Pacific Island footballers.

He said the rising star from Kaltaq had opened doors for other clubs in Australia and New Zealand and he was currently in talks with Oceania Football to be exempted from foreign player restrictions to allow more clubs to give more talent from the island a chance to make their mark in the professional clubs.

Kartak’s time in Wellington was short, but he became enamored with the lifestyle of a full-time footballer.

“It was a cool experience. I was still young and had a lot to learn, not just in football but also experiencing life overseas. I was constantly dealing with new things. I grew a lot as a person, not just in football but in life.”

After returning home, young Brian was eager to seize any opportunity and began his wandering journey, playing for clubs in the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Fiji and Vanuatu, before finally getting another chance at Tasman United in the New Zealand National League.

“I experienced what it was like to be a football player and I loved it, so I just kept doing it. I just followed my heart and did what I loved.”

Kartak said his first big break was joining Auckland City, a regular in the Oceania Football Confederation Champions League and a participant in the FIFA Club World Cup.

“They are one of the best clubs in Oceania and I learned the most at Auckland City. I already had some skills but they gave me more.”

Karthak said that football, like other professions, relies heavily on connections, so he worked hard to build his own network.

“In Vanuatu, we don’t have pathways to the next level, so what I did from the beginning was to make friends who could help me get to where I am today. So I want to thank everyone who has helped me over the years. Without them, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

The Vanuatu captain knows that OFC is working hard to create better pathways for young talents.

“We need to let overseas scouts discover our players. They need player agents to help us sign overseas contracts, but we don’t have such agents here.”

But player agents are only a small part of the effort to get more island talent the opportunities that Kal’tak has enjoyed.

“There is a big gap between the Pacific and New Zealand and Australia in terms of player development. Our players are naturally talented but we need to develop systems to make them better players,” said Kartak, who called on the Oceania Football Confederation to start investing in player development.

“We’re not too far behind but we just need the right talent to drive that forward and you’ll see more Pacific players coming through at the next level of football.

“There are more players like Brian Kartak out there. There is a lot of potential in the Pacific but we need the system to take us to another level and seriously challenge the All Whites.”

The arrival of Brazilian coach Giuliano Schmeling has already paid dividends for Vanuatu as they reached the Oceania Nations Cup final, but Kaltaq says it is just a starting point.

“It’s good to have a Brazilian coach here, but it’s not enough, we also need fitness coaches and other specialists to make our team strong not only physically but also mentally,” said the captain, who has shown amazing personal strength in his pursuit of football success.

“Talent is not enough. Hard work and dedication pushed me to keep improving. I was born with those gifts, but you need more than that to be among the top football players.”

“You need to have the right people around you. You need to push yourself hard and do what you want to do wisely. It’s not easy and there will be obstacles but you have to train yourself to be strong.”

Karthak’s advice to young players is to stick with it, focus on their dreams and not be afraid to face their fears.

“If you want to chase your dreams, sometimes you have to take risks, because if you don’t, you might regret it when you’re older that you didn’t take risks.”

—Oxygen-free copper