BY JOY OFASIA
The Solomon Kings Football Club has completed their three weeks training trip in Brisbane, Australia and are ready for the inaugural OFC Pro League season on Sunday January 17 in Eden Park, Auckland in New Zealand.
Speaking to the RAW SPORTS, former national player and assistant coach Gideon Omokirio said the Solomon Kings was so fortunate to have this partnership with Wynnum Wolves FC creating a way forward.
“This partnership creates the way forward as an alternative home away from home because players really feels at home with the friendly hospitality from club management in Wynnum.
The training went well with excellent facilities and the specific areas identified that needs improvement has been improved during the three weeks training.
“We just started with pro-environment so it’s a process which takes time to adjust to.
It’s a transition period from amateur to pro, when these players grasp it the mindset will swift and eventually translate through the pathway to young and new players who comes through the path.
It will cause an effect in the approach towards football. No longer casual but serious commitment.
He said he has seen significant changes so far from the initial start of training.
“At home, the players were introduced to a new environment and approach in terms of technical and tactical. Which is much more demanding both physically and mentally.
So in transition things swift slowly and players start to have a glimpse of what is ahead of them. So they start to swift their mindset and approach towards training.” he said.
The Assistant Coach said the teams going over to Australia was more focused on training and creating team bonding and overall all players are sharper than the start in all areas Mentally, Physically and Technically.
“Overall players are sharper than the start in all areas, socially, they understand each other more ,physically they are more aggressive and mobility, technically better ball control and pace of ball movement and accuracy and mentally understanding the game tactics, making appropriate, quick decisions,” Omokirio said.
He said the boys impressively displayed the qualities better than where they started.
From my experience, they have executed it very well as individuals and team,” he said.
He credited Head coach Ben Can and team for training that motivates, activate, stimulate and get the best out of the player’s ability to perform on this pro stage.
The team, which includes 20 local players and 2 overseas players, are confident to prepare well ahead of the league’s first circuit, which kicks off this coming Sunday, January 17 in Auckland.
File Photos: Raw Sports
