There is so much potential identified during the four-day OFC Goalkeeping course held in Honiara this week at the Allen Boso Complex.
This was uttered by OFC Goalkeeping Development officer and instructor, James Bannatyne on the final day of the sessions at Lawson Tama yesterday.
Bannatyne is a former New Zealand association football goalkeeper. He last played for Team Wellington in the New Zealand Football Championship. He represented New Zealand at the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup and 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
The former All Whites shot-stopper was excited about the talent and potential in the country.
“I think there’s much potential in our goalkeepers they are very quick, agile and show a lot of good qualities,” he said.
“We need to I think do the basics very, very well and all over the world the best players, goalkeepers do the basics exceptionally well.
“I think something for us to focus on here in the Solomons and our region is to establish some basic principles that we can follow.
“Make sure we’re in the right position, make sure the goalkeeper is ready when the shot or cross is taken, if we achieve that we are making progress and its sounds simple but it’s not so simple when the ball is traveling quickly and there’s a lot of players but focus on the basic things and we will make progress,” Bannatyne insisted.
Eighteen participants took part in the course and among them were some former international goalkeepers such as Tbone Oge, Felix Ray Junior and current goalkeepers like Philip Mango, Harold Nauania and women’s national team keeper Margret Kofela.
“Last day today of the course and it’s been really exciting to see contributions all the participants have made on the field from day one,” he stressed.
“Looking forward to carrying on the progress. We’ve been focusing on the main tasks and the main goalkeeping actions a goalkeeper has to perform and getting the mentality right that the goalkeeper defends the goal with their life.”
As part of the Oceania Football Confederation strategic plan towards the 2026 FIFA World Cup, OFC has initiated a pathway for goalkeeping development in the region.
“Exciting to be on the grass delivering Oceania football coach education pathway we an introduction to goalkeeping which is one day,” he revealed,
“Member Association certificate which is three days, C License which is five days and the B License which over two modules so 10 days and that’s our pathway excited to be kicking it off here in the Solomons. We’ve done a number of courses I think it is my fifth time here since 2012”.
Bannatyne was pleased to see Philip Mango developed into an international goalkeeper. Mango was a 16-year-old when he last took part in 2012.
“So there are some familiar faces that we are excited to continue working with to provide formal education so that they can develop goalkeepers here in the Solomons and young Philip Mango who was a participant of that first course I did in 2012 is still here today.
“Looking to get into coaching the young goalkeeper of the future. He plays in the national team, exciting times for Oceania football, goalkeeping in the Solomon Islands that we can draw on those experiences from people are that committed to our programs,” he added.
