{"id":10888,"date":"2016-02-18T09:58:16","date_gmt":"2016-02-18T14:58:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/?p=10888"},"modified":"2016-02-18T10:03:13","modified_gmt":"2016-02-18T15:03:13","slug":"solomons-seek-to-reprise-historic-high-watermark","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/?p=10888","title":{"rendered":"Solomons Seek To Reprise Historic High Watermark."},"content":{"rendered":"

\"th\"\"Solomon-610x360\"Football, of course, is massively popular in many countries across the globe. Such thoughts of all-consuming passion might conjure images of South America, Europe\u2019s historic heartlands or some of Africa\u2019s most populace nations. Yet few nations in the world can outdo Solomon Islands, at least on a purely pro-rata basis. Five-figure crowds flock to important matches at Honiara\u2019s Lawson Tama Stadium \u2013 the national stadium carved out at the bottom of a steep mountainside. Such numbers are truly remarkable given the population on Guadalcanal, where the capital is situated, is barely 100,000 amid a national population of 500,000.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Yet important matches are only infrequent for the Solomon Islands, who in recent years have become known as the Bonitos<\/em>. Despite this, or perhaps because of it, football is truly one of the country\u2019s binding elements.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Twelve years ago the nation crowded around radios deep into the late evening as a lone voice described the Solomons greatest football achievement. There was no\u00a0TV or internet coverage, simply the humble intonations of recently retired local radio broadcasting icon Bart Basia crackling into the humid Melanesian air. On that occasion a 2-2 draw with Australia in Adelaide meant qualification to the Oceania final, putting the Solomons just a single step away from the FIFA Confederations Cup and a FIFA World Cup\u2122 play-off with Uruguay.<\/strong><\/p>\n

An almost unimaginable match-up with Diego Forlan, Alvaro Recoba and Co failed to materialise as the Socceroos got their revenge in the continental decider. But to this day that achievement during Germany 2006 qualifying remains a high watermark.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Platform for renewed glory <\/strong>
\n Recent campaigns have seen the Solomons remain highly competitive, but the promise of a decade ago has waned slightly amid improving standards in Oceania. This year the Bonitos <\/em>have a chance of carving out a new era when they cross the warm waters of the Solomon Sea to Papua New Guinea, where Oceania\u2019s Stage 2 qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup will take place.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The fact that the matches will take place in a neighbouring Melanesian nation is an advantage according to veteran midfielder Henry Fa\u2019Arodo, the Bonitos <\/em>most well-known face and one of the few survivors of that famous match 12 years ago in Adelaide.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cPlaying in PNG is definitely a positive for us,\u201d Fa\u2019Arodo told FIFA.com on a recent visit to Australia where the Solomons commenced a lengthy build-up towards the May-June qualifiers. \u201cThe environment suits us, especially compared to tournaments in New Zealand in particular, where we struggle to get into the environment.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Cultural familiarity aside, up to half a dozen of the current Bonitos <\/em>squad, Fa\u2019Arodo included, have experienced club football in Papua New Guinea, mostly donning the colours of the ambitious Hekari United who famously featured at the 2010 FIFA Club World Cup.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cWe know what it is like environment-wise so playing in Papua New Guinea will leave the boys relaxed and more confident,\u201d said Fa\u2019Arodo. \u201cWe have a lot in common culturally, both being Melanesian, as we do with Vanuatu and Fiji.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

While the conditions may suit the Solomons, the heat and humidity of Port Moresby will mean an extra challenge for some of the other visitors to PNG, most notably pre-tournament favourites New Zealand. While the All Whites would typically start as favourites, and pre-qualifiers Samoa as outsiders, it is difficult to pick a standout among the remaining six teams, in a tournament where only half the field will progress to the next stage.<\/strong><\/p>\n

To say Fa\u2019Arodo knows a thing or two about Oceanian football would be an understatement. He has played in three Oceania nations \u2013 New Zealand, PNG and his homeland \u2013 as well as in Australia, formerly a member of the OFC. He is also the only Solomon Islander to appear in Australia\u2019s professional A-League, and is now entering his fifteenth year in the international arena.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Flamboyance and finesse<\/strong>
\n The Solomon Islands are renowned for their flair and ingenuity, and it is little surprise they have found success on the Futsal court and on sand. And Fa\u2019Arodo says the current national team display all the hallmarks of a traditional Solomon Islands side.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThe technical ability is a quite a bit better than it was ten years ago,\u201d he says. \u201cThat is a real positive compared to what was the case before. Most of the guys are very naturally talented footballers.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cWe feel like we have under-achieved given the talent we have,\u201d Fa\u2019Arodo adds in reference to\u00a0recent years. \u201cCompetition in Oceania is getting better and better, so the challenge now is to get back to where we were.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Whether Solomon Islands can reprise their famous achievements of the past this year remains to be seen. One thing, however, is certain. Success on the World Cup stage will unite a nation that is divided by geography.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cPeople in the villages will be listening on the radio, people in the town will be watching on TV,\u201d Fa\u2019Arodo says with a touch of excitement in his voice. \u201cThe interest is really high. The nation comes together and goes crazy for football. If we can get a good result it will make a lot of difference to football in the Solomons.\u201d<\/strong>\"AFRICAN<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Football, of course, is massively popular in many countries across the globe. Such thoughts of all-consuming passion might conjure images of South America, Europe\u2019s historic heartlands or some of Africa\u2019s most populace nations. Yet few nations in the world can outdo Solomon Islands, at least on a purely pro-rata basis. Five-figure crowds flock to important […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[11,8,1006,14,1,108,7,9,10],"tags":[1087,1040,1089,984,1088,498,1090,1086],"class_list":["post-10888","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-business","category-entertainment","category-futbol","category-most-commented","category-news","category-soccer-sports-news","category-sports","category-us","category-world","tag-2018-world-cup-dreamers","tag-african-futbol","tag-bonitos","tag-fifa-world-cup","tag-fifa-com","tag-futbol","tag-honiaras-lawson-tama-stadium","tag-solomon-islands","et-doesnt-have-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10888","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=10888"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10888\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=10888"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=10888"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=10888"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}