FIJIAN Soccer League has sparked a huge row after endorsing Sikh (East Indian) origin players to be considered as Fijians for the Premier League.
A well-placed source with the FSLGV says the league is pushing hard the idea of giving five Sikh players a Fijian status and additional three none Fijian signings for the upcoming season.
The change is believed to help resurrect the ailing fraternity with more teams and retain Premier football that has been under the scope for last few seasons.
“The FSLGV has been struggling with only five premier teams for a few years”, he said.
“They’ve become a laughing stock and to face further embarrassment of suspending the Premier football they’re pushing hard to get the clubs to unanimously agree to allow Sikh players to be declared as locals.
“The league feels by amending the import player policy they will rejuvenate the competition. There have been strong voice against the change”.
The change, should that happen, will push majority of Fijian footballers out of the league because of a mere two to a three-player representation on a team added the source.
“As is the new breed of footballers have alienated Fijian football for its glamour, competition and administration.
“And by converting (Sikhs) as Fijians opens a fresh dialogue on how ill considerate the FSLGV is towards its very own, the far and few that still take interest in the sport will walk away from the game altogether”.
Fijian football great Ivor Evans is least impressed about the changes the league is seeking.
He told Sportsone that FSLGV needs to soften up on the many polices they’ve adopted over the years if they’re to inject more participation from players, teams and fans.
“From disciplinary to how the league is run needs a redress”, said the Vancouver Whitecaps sensation.
“The fines and suspensions are harsh and evidently that thwarts many from playing in the league”.
Ivor said the ‘old school footballers’ kept the old Fiji Football Association and the Pacific League alive back in the days and as they turned to Masters football, the new breed simply didn’t have the same pride of playing in the Fijian league, as they find it less competitive.
“From a 22 team, two division under Fiji Football Association to a five team FSLGV Premier league tells you a lot about the league and the direction they’re headed”.
Ivor said the declaration may give FSLGV a few more teams and a bit of competition for a short term.
He says in the long run it will not do any good to Fijian football as the invasion will only limit Fijian participation, players will completely turn their backs on the sport, so would the games fervent, the fans.
“It will also have a serious ramification on the Nations Cup team and its selection.
“The Inter District tournament always struggles to draw teams, now it will even get worse because if locals are not part of the league what makes them come out to play a 2-day meaningless IDC”.
Ivor said it would be sad to see Fijian players become imports, to say the least in a league dominated by foreign footballers.
“They would seriously have to rename themselves, without the mention of Fijian as the prefix of a league which is actually not”.
Attempts to get a comment from FSLGV president Nadraj Nair proved futile.
