Solomon Islands football has recorded one of its worst ranking in its soccer history standing at a disappointing rank of 171 moving just one place up compared to the past years.
According to the latest FIFA rankings dated February 3 2010, 2009 and 2010 were two of the most disappointing ranking years for our national soccer team.
In 2009 we rank 172 and this year we moved just one step ahead to 171 out of a total of 203 countries.
Statistics showed that after our national squad failed to qualify for the playoffs during the 2007 South Pacific Games in Samoa, our rankings made an all time disappointing move by 24 places down since then.
The best ranking ever registered by Solomon Islands was 120 in 2006 when we stood ahead of Fiji, Vanuatu, New Caledonia and even New Zealand.
Currently Fiji is ranked at 129, New Caledonia at 146 and Vanuatu at 154 and Papua New Guinea at 203.
With the recent report of the national training squad not turning up for trials, it is a big blow to the hard work and commitment of our coaches campaigning to improve our rankings.
According to FIFA, the last two international competitions and games our national soccer team featured in was in September when we went down to Vanuatu 3 nil and New Caledonia 3-2.
Solomon Islands have much to live up to if they are to be judged on their previous attempt to qualify for the FIFA World Cup. No one will forget the Solomon Islands' sensational 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifying performance in a hurry according to FIFA.
By DOUGLAS MARAU
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