“I am so happy to be home playing in front of my fans and friends. Waitakere United is my club but Solomon Islands will always be my country.”
That was the emotional statement made by Waitakere United striker Benjamin Totori at todays press conference at the SIFF academy ahead of the OFC O-League final between Waitakere United and Kossa FC on Saturday.
Totori was joined by Waitakere United skipper Danny Hay and Chris Milicich who had come straight from the airport where their arriving flight had been greeted by thousands of Solomon Island fans their to cheer on both Totori and Commins Menapi.
The thousands sported banners and were full of smiles and support for the two Solomon Island heroes and the scene fulfilled the dreams of Totori who had long pictured returning home to play.
“Since the O-League started me and Commins have been trying to calculate what results would need to happen in order for us to come home and play. We were both so happy to find out we would be playing at home, I can’t explain the feeling,” Totori said.
Waitakere United coach Chris Milicich was confident his team would get a result from Saturdays match, though he was wary of the talent that Kossa FC contain.
“We’ve been on a nine game unbeaten streak winning eight and drawing one so we’re in pretty good shape.
“We’ve been to Japan we’ve been to Tahiti, we’ve been all over New Zealand and now the Solomons. We’ve set out goals at each stop and so far we’ve achieved them and I’m hoping for the same on Saturday.”
“Our success has been based on players understanding the strategic input we’ve been giving them.
“We’ve come here to get a result and we’ve come to an environment that we have to deal with.”
Waitakere captain Danny Hay, who is under an injury cloud for Saturdays match, noted that the recpeption he witnessed at Honiara airport matched any his professional career saw.
“It was one of the few times that I have been received like that at an airport in my career. It was a real thrill particularly for our younger guys to see the way that Benji and Commins are respected in their country.
"It shows how important football is to the Solomon Islands,” said Hay.
“When the crowd gets behind the home team it can get very difficult, but by now a lot of our squad has experienced it through travelling to Japan and to Ba last year.”
The Waitakere squad will have to deal with humidity and temperatures which many are unfamiliar with and Milich and Hay were very wary that the heat would have an effect on their players.
"Heat will definetly be a factor, but the guys have to work through it. There are always outside factors that teams have to deal with the difference is succesful teams can do it," said Hay.
Waitakere United and Kossa FC will meet at 14H00 (SOL T) at Lawson Tama Stadium in Honira.
