Courtesy: Solomon Star News


Kurukuru call

Tuesday, 24 August 2010

Dear Editor - The most compelling argument and one that requires an extreme view for all soccer fans to share is the lack of concrete support shown by the government towards our countries national futsal team; the Kurukuru team.

There is evidence of little or no support at all from the government to give to these ambassador players.

They play their guts out with obviously no backings from responsible authorities. They won the championship to represent the OFC for the Futsul World Cup Qualifier for three consecutive years and the government still has done nothing.

The call from Kurukuru's team captain, Ragomo is long over due in that a national futsal stadium should have been built few years back.

However, it is always good to start from the scratch and to reach the world cup stage is such a huge achievement for SI.

Essentially, our destiny to reach the prestige World Cup tournament lies very much with better infrastructure development along with social development of our young players.

And in order to accomplish that we need facilities to groom, mould and shape players into world class soccer star status.

Thus, futsal is where players acquire mental and physical fitness where we see players demonstrate speed, accuracy, endurance, skills and balance.

Therefore, to improve the quality of our young players it is important to have standard facilities and a sound budgetary support from the government.

This is a prerequisite to boost world standard performance from our players that will determine SI to qualify for the outdoor world cup tournament.

Also, exposure to the outside world of football increases the potential for our young players to be marketable and purchasable.

That means, the standard of football will be elevated to global standards and as more potential players are contracted overseas our economy will feel a pinch/increase as well.

Currently I understand the team was always supported by families and relatives of the players in terms of fundraising drives etc, etc but at the end of the day it was for the good name of Solomon Islands therefore steps for the government to intervene is inevitable.

The young ambassadors deserved a 'Red Carpet' welcome on their arrival but unfortunately, there was no such dignified welcome which is an indication of the governments low priority and commitment.

Lastly, I was travelling home in a pubic bus when I saw few Telecom trucks decorated and a hand full of people shouting and cheering our OFC futsul hero's.

I was moved as my mind wandered and started to compare the recent floats full of people shouting and cheering the victory of winning MP's in the streets of Honiara.

I thought, how weird these election cheerers are because in the next few years they will not see their champion MP's nor heard of them and frustrations will set in.

They will begin to backbite their MP's and ridiculed them but the question is, what made you believe such a man in such a short time and made him your hero?

The difference between the MP's victory and the Kurukuru is that the later is won on a level playing field with bright lights which transpires transparency whilst the former is played on the balance of probabilities and only the fittest will survive.

Thus, the true hero's who represented our country well and deserved a public cheering and celebrations were just treated with minimal respect.

They represented the country in a regional competition and accurately execute the task they have been prepared to undertake and were successful in their campaign [I am talking about 3 years in a row].

The Kurukuru's outstanding performance in the tournament made this country a threat to OFC futsal playing nations and I hold the view that these players will continue to grow and improve in the game.

The exciting thing though is that SI national flag will be flown among other futsal giant nations in the world in the months ahead and since the recent victory is being dedicated to the new government [that will be formed next week], the government is obliged to respond accurately with integrity.

I call upon the responsible government agents not to ignore the call to improve sporting facilities and treat this as a future investment for the future generations.

Alec Leubwa - Honiara


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