Norfolk coach leading Samoa into battle against New Zealand

The former King's Lynn coach and Canaries supporter took charge of Samoa's national team in April after a spell with the Cook Islands and is now guiding the Oceanic Island in qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. 

Ibrom guided Samoa through qualification games against Tonga and American Samoa to even earn a place in the group stages, and they are unable to play matches on their island. 

95 places in the official Fifa rankings separate the nations ahead of their meeting in Auckland on Monday morning UK time, and Ibrom is realistic about their prospects of trying to keep Nottingham Forest striker Wood and the rest of his New Zealand team mates at bay. 

"We will give it our best shot, but the rankings do not lie. It is a big challenge that awaits us," Ibrom told Sky Sports. 

"There is a gulf, everyone knows it. It was big for our credibility, even getting to play New Zealand. 

"For us, it's about being as competitive as possible. It would be disrespectful for me to say that we're going to qualify, or we’re going to do this or that.

"It's about showing people that Samoa can play at this level and that we are good enough to compete with the likes of Vanuatu and Tahiti. New Zealand is a different story altogether because they’re the best country in the region for a reason.

"They've got the best resources and best players. But we want to compete with them for as long as we can, which will be our biggest challenge.

"We have a very young group of players, and it is going to be a great experience for them. We have an eye on the 2030 World Cup which sounds a long way away but actually is not. We want to keep this group together and be in prime position for that."

Chris Wood is one of the most in-form strikers in Europe and the Premier League right now. (Image: PA) Ibrom left the UK in 2011 in pursuit of a fresh coaching challenge and has subsequently held a series of roles within Oceania and enjoys the challenge of building football cultures in under-resourced nations. 

"If I am being honest, I sort of knew where my career pathway was going to go in the UK. I was working in a non-League club, Kings Lynn Football Club, but I really wanted another challenge working abroad. I left the UK in 2011 and came out to work in New Zealand.

"Never in a million years did I think this would happen but I have worked at Wellington Phoenix and then I was technical director for the Cook Islands. There are lot of guys abroad, just trying to make our way in the game because it is so competitive in Europe.

"I always wanted to have those experiences abroad and the opportunity to go into different environments and experience different cultures. It takes you to some really weird, wonderful places, but you just have to be willing to go for it and adapt."

Samoa's opening two World Cup qualifiers against Vanuatu and and Tahiti have ended in 4-1 and 3-0 defeats respectively, with the bulk of the players in Ibrom's squad not plying their trade professionally. 

The challenge has been to conjure up a togetherness through the national identity to make them competitive. 

"A lot of our players are amateurs playing against fully-fledged professionals from elite clubs around the world so you have to be flexible," he said. "You also have to embrace the culture, otherwise you will not last. It is about tapping into what makes Samoa strong.

"Aside from tactics, it is about connecting with people on a personal level. People here from the Pacific countries, it takes a while to build trust, but if they see that you are committed and want to do right by them, then they will give you absolutely everything."

Jess Ibrom, Norwich City fan, formerly worked for King's Lynn. (Image: Matthew Usher/Newsquest) Despite the gulf between the respective nations' quality, ranking and playing squads ahead of their encounter, Ibrom is relishing the chance to test himself against the best that Oceania has to offer. 

"I just knew we would qualify for this phase because the players were all in," he said. 

"Let's be excited about it. Everyone expects New Zealand to win comprehensively. Let's just go out and compete. It is a big privilege."