Courtesy: Solomon Star News


Fiji hoping to sign a SI futsal coach

Thursday, 26 November 2009

By PHILIP LILOMO

FIJI is looking for a new national futsal coach for the 2010 Oceania Championship in Suva and they are going to start in the Solomon Islands.

A Fijian newspaper, the Fiji Times reported yesterday they are hoping to sign Fiji's next futsal coach from Solomon Islands.

Fiji is wasting no time and started their preparation for the OFC Futsal Championship next year a tournament in which Solomon Islands have dominated in the past two years.

National team director Anil Sharma told the Fijitimes online, unlike past years, preparations would start early as Fiji bids for its first major regional futsal title.

"I see no reason why we can't qualify for a Futsal World Cup," he said.

"Solomon Island has been dominating Oceania for so long and yet they don't have a proper playing facility for Futsal while we have very good facilities."

"Solomon Island has made great progress in Futsal and Beach soccer.

“They have set high standards in Oceania and we shouldn't be ashamed to seek assistance since they are better than us.

"Navua has fielded two of Solomon Islands' best players in James Naka (Beach soccer) and Jack Wetney (Futsal) at major tournaments.

“We need to be economical because we can't afford going beyond Oceania to look for coaches.

"Through my connections I know qualified coaches in Solomon Islands who can do a better job with the national futsal team," he said.

Sharma believes former national futsal rep Intiaz Khan, who unsuccessfully coached the national team for the last couple of years needed to work with an experienced Futsal head coach.

Solomon Islands national futsal team 'Kurukuru' have been crowned champions of Oceania twice and have played In the FIFA Futsal World in 2008 and played in the Alfateh Championship in Libya this year.







Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com