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Paul Ualesi
Personal information
Full name Faaeanuu Paul Ualesi[1]
Date of birth (1987-03-22) 22 March 1987 (age 37)
Place of birth Apia, Samoa
Team information
Current team
 Royal Puma (Manager)
Managerial career
Years Team
2014–2023 Lupe o le Soaga
2016 Samoa U20
2019 Samoa
2023– Royal Puma
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 14:29, 7 December 2023 (UTC)

Paul Ualesi (born 22 March 1987) is a Samoan association football manager who currently manages Royal Puma FC of the FFAS Senior League.

Managerial career

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Ualesi took charge at Lupe o le Soaga SC of the Samoa National League by 2014. He led the club to the Group Stage of the 2014–15 OFC Champions League. This was the first time the club qualified for the continental competition.[2] The club defeated Tonga's Lotohaʻapai United and FC SKBC of American Samoa to qualify. In the Group Stage, Lupe o le Soaga earned a draw with AS Pirae of Tahiti, and two defeats.[2] Although his club failed to qualify for the 2016 edition of the tournament, Ualesi took charge of the Samoa U20 team that year for the 2016 OFC U-20 Championship. The team opened the First Round with a 5–0 victory over American Samoa. Despite the performance, Ualesi stated that the team needed to improve its discipline in upcoming matches.[3] In the team's next match, it suffered a 0–1 to the Cook Islands, making advancing very difficult.[4] Samoa drew Tonga 3–3 in the final match, ending the tournament for both nations.[5]

The following season, he led Lupe o le Soaga back into the OFC Champions League.[6] The club qualified for the Group Stage again that year.[7] After finishing as runners-up in 2018 OFC Cup qualification, the team again advanced to the Group Stage.[8] In 2019, Ualesi took charge of the Samoa senior national team for the 2019 Pacific Games, hosted by Samoa.[9][1] The team earned a victory against Tonga and defeats to New Zealand U23, Papua New Guinea, and Vanuatu.[10] The following season, he was still the head coach at Lupe o le Soaga and won the club's second consecutive league title, again qualifying for the Group Stage of the 2020 OFC Champions League which was heavily modified because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[11] In the Group Stage, the club defeated major Fijian club Ba FC to earn the first-ever Group Stage win by a Samoan club in the competition.[12][13]

In 2023, Ualesi led Lupe o le Soaga back to the 2023 OFC Champions League. During qualification, the club defeated American Samoa's Ilaoa and To'omata SC 13–0, ultimately qualifying for the Group Stage again.[14] Later that year, he moved to Royal Puma FC of American Samoa's FFAS Senior League for the 2023 season. The club went on to win its first-ever league title that year with Ualesi being named Coach of the Year.[15][16]

International managerial record

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As of match played on 18 July 2019
Managerial record by team and tenure
Team From To Record Ref
G W D L GF GA GD Win %
Samoa Samoa U20 2016 2016 3 1 1 1 8 4 +4 033.33 [17]
 Samoa 2019 2019 4 1 0 3 3 22 −19 025.00 [10]
American Samoa Royal Puma 2023 14 12 1 1 79 9 +70 085.71 [18]

Honours

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Manager

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Lupe ole Soaga

Champions: 2014/2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021
Runner-up: 2018, 2023

Royal Puma

Individual

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  • FFAS Senior League Coach of the Year: 2023

References

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  1. ^ a b "Samoa Pacific Games Squad Announced". Oceania Football Confederation. 11 June 2019. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Sport: Samoan footballers want more than qualification". Radio New Zealand. 17 January 2017. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
  3. ^ "Samoa lay down early marker". Solomon Star. 22 June 2016. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
  4. ^ "Dramatic Day Sets Up Thrilling Conclusion". Oceania Football Confederation. 24 June 2016. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
  5. ^ Narayan, Rita (28 June 2016). "Tonga Hold Samoa to Draw in OFC U20 Meet". Loop Tonga. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
  6. ^ "Samoa football coach confident team will qualify". Loop Samoa. 18 January 2017. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
  7. ^ "Magenta Out to Hit Full Points". Oceania Football Confederation. 2 March 2017. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
  8. ^ "Fifi'i thrilled to be back on home soil". Solomon Islands Football Federation. 23 February 2018. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
  9. ^ Wilson, Soli. "Football Pacific Games squad announced". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
  10. ^ a b "NFT profile". National Football Teams. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
  11. ^ Airey, Thomas. "Coach pleased with Lupe's efforts". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
  12. ^ "OFC Activity Report 2020". Oceania Football Confederation. 30 August 2021. p. 28-29. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
  13. ^ "Lupe o le Soaga's Rise". Oceania Football Confederation. 4 December 2020. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
  14. ^ Brown, Matt. "Hosts look to build on stunning opening performance". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
  15. ^ Schöggl, Hans. "American Samoa - List of Champions". RSSSF. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
  16. ^ Ualesi, Paul. "aannnddd WE'VE DONE IT!!! ALL PRAISE BE TO GOD!!!". Facebook. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
  17. ^ "OFC U-20 Preliminary Schedule & Results". Oceania Football Confederation. Archived from the original on 1 September 2016. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
  18. ^ Stokkermans, Karel. "American Samoa 2023". RSSSF. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
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