Wagapu has released a list of 25 players that will try to make it to the World Cup by winning the OFC U-20 Championship, set to take place in Auckland from April 19.
He is satisfied that he has the best young players the Solomon Islands can offer at his disposal and is confident of putting in a good showing.
“I have worked with these boys for the last six months,” he says. “My selection is based on the amount of work each player has put in and their output on the field during our matches and in the Telekom S-League.”
Most of the players named in the squad are active in the national S-League, an experience that will have prepared them well for the challenges they are likely to face at the Oceania qualifiers.
Also in the race to qualify for the World Cup, which will be held in Colombia during July and August, are the U-20 national sides from American Samoa, Fiji, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu.
The Solomons should have the edge on many of their rivals in the experience stakes and are able to include the likes of Dennis Ifunaoa and Tutizama Tanito. The attacking pair have both played at the top level domestically and are known for their speed and eye for goal.
Similarly experienced are defenders Freddie Kini and Michael Sira, who have also featured in the O-League for Koloale and Marist respectively.
The Solomons squad is keen to follow in the footsteps of Tahiti, whose successful qualifying campaign in 2008 proved that sides from other Pacific Island nations can challenge New Zealand’s dominance of age-group tournaments and compete on the world stage.
The closest the Solomon Islands have ever come to qualifying was at the 2005 OFC championships, when they lost to Australia in the finals at home after strong performances in the group stage. This was followed by a third-place finish in Fiji in 2007.
The football-mad nation did not take part in the qualifying competition in 2008 but have lofty ambitions this time around.
“We want to win,” Wagapu says.
“I believe strongly that my boys have the quality and passion to do so. The competition will surely be stiff so we have to work extra hard but the important thing is that we aim to win. That is where all our efforts will be going.”
Wagapu’s squad includes an official list of 20 players and five additional reserves who will be called in due to injuries or other unforeseen circumstances.
Solomon Islands national U-20 squad
Goalkeepers
Peter KIRIAU
Silas SEDA
Defenders
Christopher TAFOA
Michael BOSO
Brian PETER
Michael SIRA
Freddie KINI
Fanai KOTI
Ian SIDA
Midfielders
Augustine SAMANI
Leonard ROKOTO
Hudson FELANI
Himson TELEDA
Steve SARU
Cornelly RATA
Toata MOLEA TIGI
Forwards
Tutizama TANITO
Larry HONG SAE
Osmon LUI
Dennis IFUNAOA
Reserves
Polycarp BONAVE
William LAMANI
Brown EROI
Peter TIMI
Obed OFEA
For more on Solomon Islands football go to www.siff.com.sb