The OFC senior coaching license course currently underway at the SIFF Academy is part of 'Win in Oceania' programme the OFC is currently implementing.
SIFF President Martin Alufurai who spoke at the opening of the course on Monday said the focus of this programme is on improving coaching in club level. "If we have quality teams then we will also have quality competition," he added.Alufurai said at the moment Solomon Islands clubs or Oceania for that matter cannot compete with an English FA club such as Manchester United because standard as amateurs is quite low.
'Win in Oceania' is similar to 'Win in Africa, a concept designed to teach coaches advance coaching techniques and also accrediting them. Alufurai said that it is the first senior coaching programme held for local coaches and urged the participants to absorb as much from the sessions.
"To put into picture what we want to achieve, our club football is very low compared to European countries and in order for them (clubs) to be competitive outside our region, the standard of our club football must improve," he added.
He stressed that if we have quality clubs, we will also have quality competition. "What is important is you coaches learn and put into practice what you are taught when you go back to your clubs."
Alufurai told the participants that SIFF had adopted the 'Win in Oceania' concept because this would raise their coaching standard and also they will be accredited.
The SIFF president also used the occasion to welcome and thanked the resource persons OFC Development officer Jim Selby and his counterpart, Auckland - based FIFA assistant development officer Patrick Jacquemet.
He reminded the participants to gain as much knowledge from Selby and Jaquemet before they return to Auckland at the end of the course.