Monday 8th February, 2010
The man who led the Solympics side to Wantok Cup glory in 2008 has been tasked with taking the Solomon Islands National Women’s U17 Team to the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) Women’s U17 Championship in New Zealand in April.

Luke Eroi, who has an illustrious coaching career including a stint at the O-League finals with Koloale in 2009, was chosen by the Solomon Islands Football Federation (SIFF) Technical Department in consultation with the Solomon Islands Football Coaches Association (SIFCA). Eroi will take over from Diane Justus who has been the fill in coach for the team since it started training.

Luke Eroi has a strong background in coaching especially at the club level. He currently holds an OFC Senior Coaching License. Koloale reached the O-League for the first time in the club’s history under his leadership in 2008. His quality as a football coach was expressed with Koloale’s exceptional performance in the 2008/2009 O-League going as far as the finals where they lost out to New Zealand champions, Auckland City.

Eroi was also at the helm when the National U23 Team, Solympics, won the first edition of the Wantok Cup which was held in Honiara in 2008. He also coached the Solympics side that reached the finals of the OFC Olympic Qualifiers in Fiji in the same year.

His appointment is expected to add more strength especially with the tactical side of the game.
Eroi completed his first session with team today in what he said is an introductory session for him. ‘I am looking at the fitness level of the players and hope to identify other areas which we might need to address before moving to the more tactical part of training,’ Eroi said.

Eroi outlined his plan which starts with immediate fitness training combined with advanced skills sessions for the players especially with shooting. ‘Our par is New Zealand so we have to work hard to level with them and even harder to beat them,’ Eroi said.

The National Women’s U17 Team has been training since the second week of January and welcomed Eroi’s appointment. Stand in coach, Diane Justus, said that it is good that the team finally has a full time coach.

Other appointments in the team’s management have also been made. Diane Justus will be the Assistant Coach working alongside Luke Eroi. Margaret Inifiri has been appointed as the Team Manager. Fa’ako Liolea will look after the team’s physical fitness and training in his capacity as the team’s physical trainer.
A physiotherapist for the team is yet to be appointed.

The final selection for the U17 Women’s Team will be done at the end of February.