Batram Suri takes charge of Lautoka FC ahead of Battle of the Giants after Galaxy OCL campaign

Former Solomon Islands international Batram Suri has been appointed head coach of Lautoka FC, taking charge of one of Fiji’s leading football districts ahead of the 2026 Extra Battle of the Giants.

The appointment was confirmed by the Fiji Football Association, with Suri set to lead the Blues into the BOG, which will kick off next week at Four R Stadium at Govind Park in Ba.

The move comes shortly after Suri completed another important assignment in Oceania football, leading Vanuatu side Galaxy FC at the 2026 OFC Men’s Champions League in Fiji. His work with Galaxy now opens another chapter in a coaching career that has increasingly taken him beyond his native Solomon Islands.

Suri is already a familiar name in Fiji. During his playing career, the former Solomon Islands international represented Nadi FC, giving him previous experience of the local football environment before returning to the country in a coaching capacity.

After his playing days, Suri moved into coaching and has worked with Solomon Islands age-group national teams as well as clubs across the Pacific. His club experience includes spells with Ifira Black Bird and Galaxy FC in Vanuatu, with the latter becoming his most recent project before the Lautoka appointment.

His arrival represents an important move not only for Lautoka but also for Solomon Islands football, with one of the country’s most recognisable former internationals now being entrusted with a major coaching role in another of Oceania’s strongest domestic football environments.

Lautoka will also provide Suri with an immediate challenge. The Battle of the Giants remains one of the major tournaments on the Fijian football calendar, and the Blues will enter the competition looking to compete for silverware under their new coach.

The timing of the appointment means Suri will have little time to settle before competitive action begins. However, his recent experience in Fiji with Galaxy during the OFC Champions League should provide useful familiarity with local conditions and opposition.

The Fiji FA announcement did not specify the length of Suri’s agreement with Lautoka, with the appointment currently presented in the context of the upcoming Battle of the Giants.

For Suri, the move adds another important step to a career that has taken him through several different football environments in the Pacific — first as one of Solomon Islands’ prominent players and increasingly now as a coach working across the region.