Solomon Warriors secure the signing of sensational young talent James Laena

Solomon Warriors, the reigning Telekom S-League champions, have announced the signing of U19 Solomon Islands national team standout James Laena. The young talent from Western Province caught the eye of scouts and coaches during his impressive campaign in Samoa with the U19 national team.

“After an impressive campaign in Samoa with the Solomon Islands National under 19 team, Laena, the wonderkid from Western Province, will make his debut with the Solomon Warriors next weekend under the watchful eyes of Head Coach Franco Ne’e. Laena is named in the final 25 Men’s squad for the second round of the Telekom Super League for the boys in red,” stated the Solomon Warriors media team.

Warriors coach Franco Ne’e, who was part of the coaching staff for the U19 side during the OFC U19 Men’s Championship where Solomon Islands finished third, will oversee Laena’s integration into the team.

Laena was scouted by SIFF officials while playing in a tournament in Koriovuku (2 Rivs) village earlier this year. This discovery was part of the SIFF’s Talent Identification Scouting Program, which aims to find and nurture young talents across the country. Football legend Batram Suri, the head coach of the U19 team, is also involved in this program.

The raw talent from the island of Ranongga in the Western Province of Solomon Islands has generated considerable buzz in Oceania football circles following his standout performances in the Under-19 World Cup qualifiers in Apia, Samoa. Now Laena will have the chance to show his skills at the top-flight league of his country.