Robert Maaskant, a former player and coach, has taken the reins of Tuvalu's football team. He succeeds Foppe de Haan, who started the project in 2011 as a mission by Limburg football fan Paul Driessen. Maaskant will not work for a salary, but will receive a cost allowance. "I find travelling enriching for life," Maaskant said. "Combining that with a good cause and football is wonderful. I'm excited about it."
Maaskant will be assisted by former Dutch international Kew Jaliens. He will first travel to Auckland to meet the team and then they will see what they can achieve in a few weeks on good training pitches. In March, Tuvalu will host a four-team tournament with Kiribati, Tonga, and the Cook Islands in New Zealand. This is a step closer to Tuvalu's goal of becoming a FIFA member in three years' time.