Nine teams from four Provincial Football Association (PFA) have confirmed new talents to be hitting the sands next week when the Solomon Islands Football Federation (SIFF) National Invitational Beach Soccer Championship kicks off at the DC Park.
This was confirmed following the official tournament draws for the competition conducted at the SIFF Conference room yesterday.
SIFF Competition Manager, Junior Siosi confirmed three teams from Malaita province, two teams from Western Province, two teams from Honiara, one team from Isabel province and one from Makira/Ulawa province representatives, will compete in the one week tournament.
Siosi explained that the competition serves as an invitational one and not mandatory for PFAs nationally and with teams that met the criteria.
“The championship is invitational, it’s not mandatory for every PFA to participate. So those PFA that are prepared and meet the competition’s conditions are to compete,”
Siosi explained.The criteria are for PFA that have an active beach soccer league and championship in respective provinces.
“Few teams shown interest to compete but sadly they did not meet the requirements and are told that they are not eligible to attend the tournament,” Siosi adds.
These unfortunate PFAs are Guadalcanal Football Association (GFA), Central Islands Football Association (CIFA) and Rennell & Bellona Football Association.
“Those PFAs identified will not be taking part this year, other provinces they just don’t show any green light to attend, as most are also concentrating for the upcoming Solomon Cup to be happening after the competition,” says Siosi.
He also revealed that the lead aim of the Championship is to pick potential beach soccer talents to make the national side for the upcoming Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) Beach Soccer Nation Cup in 2021, while confirmed it will be an annual event under SIFF.
“This competition is purposely to identify potential players from active beach soccer centers around the country,” he said.
“Those PFAs that don’t have the opportunity this year to participate, make sure next year you have to run your programs to be eligible to compete in the beach soccer tournament.SIFF Futsal & Beach Soccer Development Officer, Dickson Kadau in terms of the football code’s growth reveals that programs are in place to be carried out comes 2021.
“We will be discussing with our Technical Director to set programmes for next year. The programmes will cater for other PFAs where they are not involved this year, and we are looking to support,” Kadau said.
“Federation is looking seriously in the code because we have more tournaments ahead, like one is the 2023 Pacific Games and the OFC Nations Cup so seriously trying as much to set these programmes for the future of the sport.
Evidently the national beach soccer team international outings in the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cups and rankings prompted SIFF to step up in its development approach.
SIFF has set up two beach soccer development centers, one at East Malaita, Kwai and the other at Western Province. However, beach soccer sites are still a challenge which SIFF is urged to consider as growing interest in the football code.
The SIFF Invitational Beach Soccer competition meanwhile will run from 9th to 14th November at the DC Park.
BY PETER ZOLEVEKE II via Sun Sports
