Solomon Island international Michael Fifi is to play for Wairarapa United in their 2010 Central League campaign. Fifi, in his early 20s, is a midfielder or striker who is currently part of Team Wellington's New Zealand Football Championship squad. He played for Hawke's Bay in that competition last year. Wairarapa United coachPhil Keinzley has watched Fifi play on three occasions in the NZFC and has been impressed with both his speed and ball skills. Keinzley sees Fifi, who has also played for Solomon Islands at age group level, being used mainly as a left midfield in the Central League but he will also cover provide extra cover for strikers Seule Soromon and Campbell Banks. "His versatility means he should become a very important part of our side, "Keinzley said. Meanwhile, Wairarapa United striker Seule Soromon continues to be the front-runner for the Golden Boot award for most goals scored in New Zealand Football Championship matches this season. And that's despite being part of a Manawatu side which was left languishing in seventh place in the eight-team competition after the 6-0 hiding at the hands of Canterbury over the weekend. Soromon has dominated the scoring action for Manawatu. In 10 matches which have produced just the three wins and one draw they have managed 11 goals and Soromon has contributed eight of them. His closest rivals for the Golden Boot award are Leon Birnie, of Hawke's Bay, and Greg Draper, of Wellington, both have whom have found the net on six occasions. It was, however, another recent recruit to the Wairarapa United line-up for their 2010 Central League campaign, George Barbarouses, who hit the headlines in the latestseries of NZFC matches. Barbarouses, who has transferred from Olympic to Wairarapa United, scored the only goal of the match when Hawke's Bay upset Wellington 1-0, a situation made more satisfying for Barbarouses because of him previously being part of the Wellington side. Also starring for Hawke's Bay was Wairarapa United keeper Richard Gillespie, who pulled off a couple of spectacular saves. The Wairarapa United Central League squad, probably minus their seven NZFC players, will have their first warm-up game leading into the 2010 season when they meet Upper Hutt at Hullena Park in Masterton on Saturday, February 20.
