The Solomon Islands Senior National Football Team has started training following the announcement of the training squad in February.
According to the Solomon Islands Football Federation (SIFF) Technical Department the team is holding two (2) training sessions per week on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The objective of the training is to build up team work and to ensure that the players remain at their peak levels."This is the training program that we will maintain throughout the year," Noel Wagapu from the SIFF Technical Department said.
The Senior National Team was selected during 2 weeks of trials that were held last month. A total of 30 players were named in the training squad. The turnout for the training sessions has been good so far with the majority of named players turning up for training.
The resumption of the Honiara Football Association DJ League is also welcomed as it will provide competitive matches for the players who are mostly based in Honiara. Some of the provincial based players named in the squad have now joined Honiara clubs to ensure that they are available for national team training.
The Wantok Cup tournament in Vanuatu in July will be the National Team's first tour of duty since the South Pacific Games in 2007.
SIFF remains serious about preparing a team for the 2011 Pacific Games despite reports that football was not included in the list of sports that Solomon Islands is planning to send to the games in New Caledonia next year. The early selection of the senior national team and the current training program is geared towards the Pacific Games.
Source: Press Release, SIFF Media