As Solomon Islands football makes a free fall on a downward trajectory, many fans rightfully feel we should no longer claim to be the Brazilians of the South Pacific. Indeed a country that neither has the medals nor glamour to match the Brazilians has no business glorifying itself in such fashion. History is murky on its origin but once upon a time, the label was rightfully used to describe our brand of football. And those that conjured that idea were right because we are the Brazilians of the South Pacific. Our Pacific neighbours and our very own disgruntled fan-base may argue to the contrary but the evidence speaks for itself. Why? Because we play the game with mesmerizing skills borne out of dusty backyards, makeshift lopsided pitches and bundled socks. Small, nimble, naturally gifted with an eye for showmanship are all traits that are always visible in any of our football team. And the passion we show for football? Well, no other Pacific Island country can justifiably claim otherwise!
But this is not an essay to justify this claim, this is an essay about how we can set ourselves on a path to prove we are just as good as our blue, yellow and green compatriots on the great American continent.
The dismal state of our football is a national tragedy. A tragic failure that has been the result of misguided individualism, massive egos and the shambolic outfit we call the Solomon Islands Football Federation (SIFF). There is hope though, a new administration is in place and a President with a passion for football is in power. What and how he plans to lead is not obvious at this time but it is also not time for fans to wait and watch. It is also our time to rally the administration to rebuild football.
But to match our lofty ambitions and claim to being the Brazilians of the South Pacific, we must learn from the Germans. The Germans were in the doldrums in 2000 and the changes they made were both fast, ruthless and determined. Alas, our pockets are not as deep, our pool of players and coaches not as many but if there was one thing free to acquire from the German experience then it is a strategy. A strategy; well thought out, well written and well executed. In this instance, I wish to highlight 3 basic but very broad areas in which such a strategy can derive some inspiration.
1. Coordinated private and public cooperation
SIFF cannot operate in isolation nor can it expect help if it does not actively seek it. The common misconception among those in the football fraternity is that they are capable. While self belief is an admirable trait, it must not be confused with an inflated ego! A true leader will seek out help because the success of others when managed properly can only bolster their own notoriety. Secondly, SIFF must recognize that growth and innovation happens in the private sector as does private initiatives aimed at assisting football development. This is simply because there is unbridled optimism among private entrepreneurs because their very success depends on adapting to change, innovating and maximizing returns. So aside from aspiring to be run like a private corporation, SIFF must learn to leverage the huge potential that exists in the private sector to encourage growth in itself. The partnership will no doubt bring positive changes to our teams.
2. Consolidate our strengths and develop our weakness
In-spite of our recent failures, we still have a monopoly over individual talents. Like in Brazil, they seem to grow on trees and year after year we see the emergence of new talent. But as blessed as we are with natural talent and flair for the game, we have always been thwarted by on field strategy, mental fitness among many others and sadly; a desire and purpose to win. When Eddie Omokirio spoke of his experience developing Futsal and Beach Soccer in the country, he said one of the very first things he did was to tell the boys about the story of our national anthem before encouraging them to always sing it with fervor. The psychological impact is it gave the players a purpose, a reason to fight; that they will put themselves on the line for “our nation, Solomon Islands.” Today, we send a group of individuals with mixed agendas, without purpose and will to fight. We have only ourselves to blame.
SIFF must cast its net far and wide to build a pool of qualified coaches and development officers NOT just close cronies and associates. Not the daughter or son of a friend of a friend of a friend (or recycled coaches from bygone eras; unless proven and qualified) but individuals with true talent and passion for the game. They will be the ones that help us harness our natural talents then strategize with tact and respond with game winning strategies. A talent identification programme should not only be targeted at players but it must also be about coaches, managers, cleaners and the whole lot.
3. Shrewd-decision making
The football landscape is ever-changing so SIFF must be able to adapt to meet different challenges. It must have the ability to be shrewd and ruthless in decision making. Too many times we settle for less because we mistakenly believe adequate action has been taken. Too many times we have discarded critics as couch potatoes and of course the most common of all excuses “osem you save play soccer!”. Criticism provides us with the climate in fan’s ecosystem so any shift warrants decisive actions. Sadly, we must also acknowledge there are indeed couch potatoes but it will be obvious from the slanted, horribly skewed tangent they will be on. But a generic disassociation or even the lack of careful acceptance of criticism weakens our ability to maintain true objectivity and clouds our ability to act decisively in the interest of our national game. It ultimately erodes our chances of making positive changes for football.
A strategy that contains these elements when successfully implemented will leave no lingering doubt among our football peers that we are the Brazilians of the South Pacific. We will play like them, dress like them, behave like them (minus the betel nut!) but most importantly win with beautiful football.
Nobody said that the colossal responsibility of turning football around was going to be easy but that alone should not breed defeatism among our own. Instead it should inspire us to look to triumph over tragedy. Go Solo Go
NOTE: I am consciously using the term football as it is the most appropriate name for the sport.