Over the years Solomon Islands has been well known overseas for its exports of logs and tuna. But in more recent times another type of commodity has made its way to the shores of our neigbours.

Marist FC new recruits, George Lui, Michael Sira, Francis Saemala and Jerry Sam will shoulder a huge responsibility when the team, takes on Lautoka FC at Churchill park stadium on Sunday. Marist flew out of the country today afternoon with 15 players and 3 officials with high expectations to produce a winning result in the second leg of the O-League championship.

Koloale FC’s first choice goalkeeper Shadrach Ramoni is among many who turn up for training and are undergoing trials with the national futsal squad. Although he is not familiar in the five a-side futsal game, Ramoni is famous for his brilliance in the outdoor code.

The selection panels which will preside over the national team trials next week have issued a strong warning to players to maintain discipline during the trials. Noel Wagapu, a member of the selection panel told the media yesterday that discipline is one of the important selection criteria’s and players vying for a place in the final 25 member squad must uphold discipline at all levels.

Solomon Islands Football Federation will conduct a basic futsal refereeing course starting on Monday the four days workshop will start next week. The course will be the first of its kind to be conducted by SIFF since the inception of Futsal in Solomon Islands.

Local FIFA badge Assistance referee Matthew Taro is aiming to make the most of his appointment to officiate at the world’s prestigious competition, the South Africa FIFA World Cup tournament in June. Taro made history when he became the first Solomon Islander to be appointed in two of Oceania’s trios to officiate in the South Africa 2010 FIFA World Cup Finals.

The head coach of the Marist FC Patrick Miniti has raised his concerns over the indefinite delay of the DJ League season. He says the delay means that his side will have no quality matches in preperation for its February 15th O League match against Lautoka. The Marist team will leave for Fiji on Friday.

In an effort to strengthen its side to try and qualify for the two leg O-League final this year, Papua New Guinea’s O-League rep Hekari FC has sought the services of another four local players, following the successful transfer of Stanley Waita and Gideon OmokirioNoel Wagapu from the Solomon Islands Football Federation, SIFF who deals with player international transfers, confirmed his office have received the request from Hekari.

Marist FC has named its final squad for the O-League away leg against Lautoka in Fiji. The team will be travelling to Fiji on Friday next week for the very much anticipated game on Sunday 15th. The final team consists of 19 players, and 4 officials

Soccer matches for this year could soon resume at the Lawson Tama Stadium, with maintenance work on the turf expected to start tomorrow. Maintenance work on the pitch had to be delayed late last year because of a SIFF's tractor had broken down. This had forced the suspension of the start of the Honiara Football Association's

The Ministry of Education has re-affirmed its commitment to supporting SIFF with the Learn and Play project in the country. The director of secondary schools in the Education Ministry Azeri Yalangona told a Dinner hosted for the Learn & Play U-16 Team that the government would continue its support for the programe.

The Solomon Islands football federation has yet to adopt a player development pathway program, and should embrace one quicker, according to the Learn & Player Project Manager Phillip Ohoto’ona. He said a better way to star is to expand the Learn & Play Program after it ends in 2011or developed a similar play development program.

The triumphant SIFF Learn & Play Under-15 contingent arrived back to a rousing  heroes welcome at the Henderson International Airport this afternoon. The team returned home with the Inaugural TVL Junior Wantok Cup Trophy after winning the tournament in Vanuatu.

The recipient of the TVL Wantok Cup player of the tournament award Gabriel Bosi and the captain of the Learn and Play Dickson Bua says hard work was key to the team's success in Vanuatu. The young lads who arrive back in Honiara today praised their teammates for sticking together as a team win the tournament.

While the top footballers in Honiara are tipped to have signed contracts with clubs in Fiji.O-league clubs in Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and Solomon Islands are battling to regroup their lineup for the remaining matches of the O League.

A number of prominent local coaches in Honiara have been tipped to guide the senior men’s national football squad which will soon start preparations for a number of international fixtures this year. More importantly he will be responsible for building up team for the 2011 South Pacific Games in New Caledonia.

The Solomon Islands Football Federation President Martin Alufurai has praise the Learn & Play team for their third straight victory yesterday at the TVL Junior Wantok Cup tournament in Vanuatu.
Alufurai says the team’s success demonstrates how the SIFF Learn & Play Program has helped to developed a pool of elite players. The LEARN & play Team consist of students sponsored by the project in Aligegeo, Goldie College and King George the Sixth School.

The women’s football development office in Honiara has announced its 40 U-17 players to start preparing for Oceania football confederation U-17 women’s championship in April. Selected from the Our Telekom Women’s championship last year, the select squad will start their begin weekly training session tomorrow.

The Solomon Islands Football Federation has signed the third part of the FIFA Goal III Project. SIFF President Martin Alufurai signed the $375,000 thousand dollars project on Friday at the Mendana Hotel Conference Room.

The FIFA-OFC Solomon Islands Football Stakeholders Workshop was hailed a success by organizers on Friday. Co-organized by FIFA-OFC and SIFF for all the stakeholders of football, the turnout at the event was better than orgnisers anticipated.