Finding Football Feet

Samoa has always been known as a place where people are wild about rugby. But years of work and investment by FIFA, the worldwide football (soccer) federation, is now starting to pay off. Throughout the developing world, especially in places such as Samoa where soccer has not been well known, FIFA has been investing in coaching, training, facilities and grassroots liaison with schools, parents and governments-all to promote soccer.

Tilomai Solia, the executive director of the Samoa Football (Soccer) Federation, says this effort in Oceania is part of what has been called the FIFA Goal Project. The aim of this first phase is to develop a soccer infrastructure. Out of the 12 countries that applied for FIFA Goal funding, the Samoa federation was the first in the world to get funding. The federation opened its offices in 1998. As a result of that support, says Solia, "soccer is now the number one sport played among both boys and girls in the primary schools of Samoa. With development officers from FIFA, the local soccer federation has been able to do training in refereeing, coaching and sports medical skills."

The Manumea Under 15s on their return from the Milk Cup. Photo: Scott Whitney

Soccer caught on fast, "but all of a sudden we had all these soccer players and no place to play," says Solia. "The fields where they play rugby get all torn up and rugby teams got first priority."

But rugby is not the only game in town anymore. After several years of lobbying and generous funding from FIFA, the new Toleafoa J.S. Blatter Football Complex has been established just outside Apia on land provided by the government of Samoa.

The Samoa federation now administers the complex. Tautulu Roebeck, the federation's senior vice president, smiled when asked if they allow the field to be used by rugby teams. The answer was clearly no.

Developing player talent is the next step. And here Samoa has a way to go. Its Manumea Under-15 team, which was just back from the Milk Cup in Belfast, Ireland, had not won any of their six tournament games or the three preliminary friendly English matches in Manchester, Nottingham Forest or Everton. Nevertheless, the boys were changed in many ways by their trip.

According to team manager Manila Laulu, "they did alright considering many had never been on an airplane before. And one boy was so homesick that he stopped eating and talking. It wasn't until we put him on the phone with his mother that he got better." She says the boys were also surprised at the stadiums, changing rooms and equipment available to soccer players in Great Britain. "One team had a choice of two different uniform styles and four different boots for each of their games."

The under 15s, had no boots (or shoes) to choose from. Pacific Magazine was able to help the team get Adidas soccer boots just before they departed, but up to the time of the trip they'd been playing barefoot. It was only on the trip that they began to get comfortable playing in boots. And the boys were certainly a hit in England and Ireland, not for their soccer playing, certainly, but for their singing and cultural performances, especially their pre-game hakas.

The soccer infrastructure is getting in place in Samoa, the next step is developing a new generation of athletes who don't have to play in bare feet.