THE only time the Fiji U17 national football team truly looks focused is when they’re singing hymns and the national anthem.
In those moments, they move in unison, in sync, full of belief, and bound by purpose.
Beyond that, however, the word “team” hardly seems to fit their profile.
It’s no longer just about poor performances, it’s about mounting woes that have turned into full-blown worries over the direction in which football in Fiji is headed.
The U17 level should be where the real promise of football development comes to fruition.
Yet while the Fiji Football Association (FFA) continues to claim that its age-group programs are producing results, the evidence on the field tells a far sadder story.
Supporters are often told that Fiji’s youth teams face nations with vast budgets and advanced football systems. But what suggests that Fiji isn’t also receiving its fair share of FIFA grants, funds meant precisely for youth training and development?
When you factor in local sponsorships and revenue from the three major domestic tournaments, the Inter-District Championship, Battle of the Giants, and the Fiji FACT, it becomes clear that Fiji Football does have the financial means to field a far more competitive side.
Heavy defeats to Tunisia (6–0) and Belgium (7–0), and Argentina (7), for a total of 20 goals against, aren’t just reflections of poor performance.
They’re symptoms of a deeper problem: a lack of structured development, proper training, and quality coaching.
The latest results are the inevitable consequences of misguided leadership and poor vision at the top.
Those in charge wear different faces to convince the public that even in defeat, the players are “gaining exposure”, supposedly a foundation for future success.
But that excuse has grown tired and transparent.
Those who truly understand the game aren’t buying what has become a bad sell.
The systemic rot in Fiji football runs deep.
It’s breeding poor coaching standards, mentors who may hold FIFA certificates but lack the technical understanding to mould young players into a cohesive team capable of playing the beautiful game as it’s meant to be played.
For now, the only coordination of any sort comes when they gather to sing hymns and the national anthem.
