“There are more and more women players in the Solomon Islands with quality so choosing the best has not been easy,” coach Timothy Inifiri says.
“We thank all the players who have worked hard during the trial period, especially those who have made it into the final training squad.”
Most of the players who helped their country to a fourth-place finish at the OFC Women’s Nations Cup last September in New Zealand have been included, the only exceptions being Pauline Erewai and Raymalyn Zoze, who have had to withdraw from the squad for personal reasons.
The team management has spent the best part of the last two months working with the players during twice-weekly training sessions at the Solomon Islands Football Federation academy, where the team has also had the chance to work with fitness trainer Fa’amoana Topue.
Inifiri says the aim is to put together a team that is fitter, faster and stronger than the squad who took part in the Nations Cup.
“We believe in the players and they are determined to better Solomon Islands’ record at the Pacific Games. Our task is to shape and mould them into the best women’s team this country has ever sent to a competition,” he says.
A lot of hard work lies ahead for the players and management as an increased number of training sessions are anticipated in the coming weeks once details are finalised.
Plenty of hard yards have been put in already, as the players can testify after making it through a lung-busting endurance session with Topue in their first meeting after the squad was named.
“Nothing about this is going to be easy,” Inifiri says. “Crunch time starts here and the players need to know that they will be required to go the extra mile in all their training sessions if they want to be in the final team.”
Inifiri has singled out discipline, fitness and tactical awareness as the top three priorities for the team management.
“To be part of this team a player has to be disciplined, meet the fitness requirements that are set and be able to understand their role in the 11-piece puzzle that a football team is when they take the field.”
The Pacific Games are set to take place in New Caledonia during August and September and the final Solomon Islands squad of 25 players will be named by the end of May.
For more on Solomon Islands football go to www.siff.com.sb