FOOTBALL teams always aim towards winning titles.
Any lesser achievement is regarded as a disaster.
But for Nadi reaching the semifinals is their goal.
Nadi, the football powerhouse of old, has not tasted victory in the prestigious Inter districtChampionship (IDC) for the past 24 years.
The 1-0 win against Rewa in 2002 has marked the end of the road for Nadi’s football dominance in the nation.
It is high time that the district’s fans, sponsors and stakeholders demand better.
Help? Thanks but no thanks
Surprisingly, the Nadi Football Association (NFA) had accepted a former footballers’ request to help the team ahead of this year’s IDC.
Manu Pokar, a star of the 80s, and former goalkeeper Savenaca Waqa, took time out to be at Kings Charles Park.
Instead of finding players at the training ground as instructed, the duo reached the venue at 5.30pm and were stunned to find there were no players.
After consulting the Nadi president Mohin Rafiq, they were advised that the players would start training at 6pm.
Left Disappointed
Their disappointment soon turned into frustration as nobody had the courtesy to inform them of the time change.
The frustration was heightened even further as the Nadi Football Association officials did not show any sign of appreciation for their willingness to help.
Pokar said if the Nadi officials are to utilise the experience and know-how of the former footballers, they must first change their approach towards building a working relationship with the many former footballers and officials who are ready to help.
“We former players offered to provide help, from our experience and knowledge of the game on various-occasions in the past, only for the request to be declined.”
Pokar said it was a gross disrespect for the Nadi officials to change the time, as he and Waqa had come prepared to give their best for the rejuvenation of football in the district.
A District Losing Ground
While other districts have been making tremendous-strides in football development, Nadi has been sleeping on its laurels.
This has resulted in diminished support from fans and followers of the game in the district.
The football administration in Nadi must do a soul-searching in view of the dismal performance of the district in the last few decades.
The district needs to restructure its football machinery and formulate policies geared towards winning back the pride and glory of the past.
“Nadi needs to identify and utilise the talents of its coaches and rejuvenate its youth ranks,” Manu said.
The district must develop policies that will see quality players being recruited in the future.
Ba, Lautoka, Labasa, Rewa and Suva continue to dominate the sport, which is a pointer to the fact that Nadi is-not in the race to win.
Other districts such as Navua and Nasinu have progressed steadily over the years and can be considered serious contenders as well.
Nadi has lost its edge in national football competitions.
Time to Move On
Nadi cannot rely on the achievements of the past to carry it through the years of football neglect.
Although Nadi has a history, a fan-base and a rich football pedigree, it is time to move on with new ideas, new energy and a better football philosophy that puts Nadi into the elite group of football districts.
The call for change must come from within.
The administrators should develop a blueprint for the game in the district.
This includes reviewing coaching policies and recruitment strategies.
The football authorities must be bold to utilise the vast potential of knowledge and experience of the former footballers who are willing to help rebuild the club.
Nadi’s football needs to gear towards bigger victories and not just look at the semifinals.
The fans will always be supportive of their team, but the district must strive to bring back the glory days.
For performance draws passionate supporters in the stands, it is anything but for Nadi.
