Ibrom, a Norwich City supporter and native of Hunstanton, Norfolk, was appointed captain of the South Pacific island off the coast of New Zealand earlier this week. He inked a deal that would last until 2026.
Ibrom has worked for the Major League Soccer (MLS) in America, as a member of Chelsea’s academy recruitment team abroad, and in a variety of football coaching and strategic roles in Oceania. This is his most recent challenge.
The 24-year-old scored 14 goals in 29 Kansallinen Liiga games while playing for the Finnish club Åland United.
She has two goals, 17 caps, and was a member of New Zealand’s World Cup team last summer.
Before starting his career overseas, Ibrom was an integral part of King’s Lynn youth program from 2006 to 2011. His desire to travel elsewhere was greatly stoked while he was living at the Walks.
“I had spent a lot of time at King’s Lynn, and we were able to reach the Conference North with great success under Keith Webb’s leadership, an ex-Norwich.
“I wanted a challenge overseas because I thought I had reached the limit of the youth development program.
“Since I haven’t performed at a noticeably high level, I began the job search process abroad. And then it turned into this. It’s been rewarding and difficult at the same time.
“Ibrom said to the Pink Un, ‘I wanted the opportunity to work abroad, but it took me two years.'”
“After that, the opportunity to visit New Zealand began this peculiar voyage that involved traveling back and forth between the two countries as national team coach, first to New Zealand, then to Mexico, then to Samoa, and finally to the Cook Islands. It’s been done in an unusual manner.”
Ibrom was appointed national team coach after a period of time spent working as the Cook Islands’ technical director and supporting the growth of academy football there.
There are fewer people living in the Cook Islands than there are in Dereham, with a population of about 17,000. There are about 13,000 on Rarotonga’s main island.
