LET US INVEST IN OUR YOUTH FOOTBALL

We once celebrated our heroes as they return from an impressive result against the mighty Socceroos. We once all unitedly flooded the gates of Lawson tama to support our impressive footballers as we saw Henry Fa’arodo Jnr converted an exceptionally penalty that raptured the whole of the stadium as we celebrated our football best moments. Indeed, from the impeccable commentary of our famous Bart Basia to the emotional second loss in our 2008 OFC Nations cup. Our football has been the driving force behind so many mixed emotions for us as a nation. For all we wanted was to excel in the football scene and be proud of our nation. For many years, we seek for the solution to inspire us to our major international tournament and often we blame the coaches, the players and even the fans on many occasions. The Administrators of football in Solomon Islands also have the blame too for our football not achieving the football achievements we all wished for.

There are many factors contributing to our football’s decline in terms of our achievement compared to some of our best outings and we all can identify these factors as coaching, players and administrating areas that have somehow failed in their part over the years. In addressing this, we have now have some very well experienced and qualified coaches and some of our players have been exposed to top leagues around the Oceania already. Our football administration is now renewing itself and things are slowing building up back with a very good effort by our National men’s team in progressing into the world cup qualifiers in 2017. One of the most important aspect of our football that for so long have been neglected and in some ways overlooked is our youth football. Gone are those days of the strong youth football academy and youth competition in football. In modern Solomon Islands football, almost all the resources are into the men’s competition and while it is definitely a positive aspect of football, I strongly believe it is time we swift our main resources into youth football. The evidence of youth football as one of the powerful development aspect of football is evidential globally. The current Portugal side that won the Euro2016 consists of a majority of their U20 Portugal team that played in the previous 2015 U20 world cup in New Zealand. The Brazilian side that took gold in the recent olympic football tournament made up of all the U20 players of Brazil that have took part in the U20 world cup as well. One of the best defenders in the world Thiago and David Luiz of Brazil started playing together in the youth system and eventually ended up in the national team. Lionel Messi and his Barcelona companions have all shared the Barcelona academy since childhood and now they are playing unbelievable football. It is quite clear that youth football is the way forward for Solomon Islands. Investing in youth football should definitely be the primary goal for Solomon Islands as this is the level in which we can positively mentor players both physically and mentally. Instead of waiting for an unexpected talent to come out in his mature days and drafted him into the squad, let us actually mentor the young talented into amazing future prospects both locally and internationally.

In contrast to this youth level approach, the smaller code of football known as futsal in the Solomon Islands is definitely a very positive example of investing in youth football. Elliot Ragomo, Jack Wetney, James Egeta, Micah Lea’alafa etc… were all young futsal players coached locally and sent to Australia to compete in the state competition in Australia and gain experience and exposure to a different atmosphere of futsal. Although it seemed as just another trip to some big city back in the days, this first experiences have shaped these boys into their modern achievements. Now they all are appearing in their third world cup and now as matured men. Henry Fa’arodo our current National team captain is one of the exceptional footballers the Oceania have ever witnessed that have graced the football field. An international player with so much character and inspiration for younger players now but he has started quite early in football and have been involved in football in structural trainings all through his youth and he is now one of the best footballers in the Pacific. It is definitely the right time for us to invest in our youth football. Maybe we have invested in it in the past but somehow it died out and it is quite evidential in our current crop of players. We have the amazing natural talent but we often lack the mental side of football. The most effective way of building and developing the mental side of the football is from an early age.

We have the football leagues running around Solomon Islands now and have attracted a lot of football fans. We do have some short youth competition as schools and clubs but can we do more than that? I believe we can and we must now. The possibilities of having one of the most feared footballing team of all time is there, knowing that the natural talents we have is incredible and managing it from an early age will only allow a new generation of Solomon Islands footballers, to take us to where we have always dreamed of. Now the question of who is responsible will be the next big question to ask. The answer is simple; we are the ones responsible for this. As parents who want your kids to be successful in football, you are responsible to implement the right values in your kids before they go to their football trainings. Coaches are responsible for sacrificing your time to teach the youth level and being the football father figure for the youths to follow and model after. Administrators must make sure that there is sufficient competition locally and internationally for our youths to be involved in and finally supporters we must always be positive and help our youths to excel in their strive for success. We once dreamed of Solomon Islands in the FIFA Football World Cup and somehow many of these dreams have washed away but maybe it is not a time to dream anymore but start working towards this goal by investing in our youths. If the bigger countries such as New Zealand, Australia and Fiji can do it in their youth football then Solomon Islands we can do it even better. Finally, investing in youth football also keeps our youths away from negative activities but adds value to their life and may we always seek God for his guidance in our lives.

Solomon Islands, the answer to our football rise is in our youths. Let us invest in our youth football. God bless Solomon Islands football.