Solomons star signs for Wairarapa United

BY GARY CAFFELL
Solomon Islands international Stanley Waeta has signed to play for Wairarapa United in the Capital premier division men's soccer competition in 2006.
Waeta, 25, made his decision to play for the Masterton-based side after talking with Wairarapa United coach Phil Keinzley in Fiji last month.
Keinzley was in Lautoka to watch the Fijian national club tourney and Waeta was playing as a "guest player" for Nandi.
To say Keinzley was impressed by Waeta's combination of speed and skill would be an understatement.
"He stood out in every game he played. He'd have to be one of the best players in the Pacific region," Keinzley said. "He cannot only score goals he creates just as many for others. He's an outstanding all-round talent."
Further evidence of Waeta's extraordinary abilities can be gleaned from the official web site of the Solomon Islands Soccer Federation.
It says of him: "Has established himself as a regular in the national team?a complete midfielder who has good passing ability and vision, close dribbling skills, is a strong tackler and score goals. He is good enough to play football in any league."
Waeta was part of the Solomon Islands side which caused such a big upset at last year's World Cup qualifying series when they eliminated New Zealand's national team, the All Whites, from the competition. And he has also played for his country at under-17, under-20 and under-23 level.
Keinzley concedes that Waeta was not on his shopping list when he went to Lautoka.
Rather he was on the lookout for a fullback but was:so taken with Waeta's contribution to the Nandi effort that he "tossed around" the idea of playing for Wairarapa United with him.
"He was really keen. I was a bit surprised just how keen he was actually," Keinzley said.
"He'll certainly give us more depth in the attacking area, no question of that."
Waeta joins two other notable signings for Wairarapa United next season, James Oxtoby and Tony Jamieson both of whom also starred at the Lautoka tourney.
Oxtoby, 20, played his domestic soccer for Palmerston North club Red Sox in the central league last season and was mainly in the midfield there but it was as a sweeper that he hit the headlines at Lautoka, being named player of the tournament after a series of consistent performances there.
Keinzley has gone as far to rate Oxtoby, an Englishman with New Zealand citizenship, as an All White of the future.
"He's got pace, het's got flair, he's got all the skills and he's aggressive.It's pretty much the complete package," he said.
Jamieson is a goalkeeper who has played for the Cook Islands.
He was a member of the Wellington United central league side last season and was named their player of the season.