WITH Bula FC’s final roster now confirmed, questions continue to swirl over why a few players declined offers to join the country’s first professional football club, opting instead to remain in district football.
Sources told SportsOne that Ba’s Penisoni Tirau and Etonia Dogalau chose not to sign with Bula FC despite concrete interest from the new professional outfit.
It is understood the Ba Football Association tabled more attractive terms than those offered by Bula FC, a key factor influencing the duo’s decision.
Both Tirau and Dogalau have been standout performers in recent seasons. Young, and highly regarded, they are widely viewed as players with bright futures making their decision all the more noteworthy.
While Bula FC’s salary structure has not been publicly disclosed, it is believed to be significantly better than the Fiji Football Association’s amateur model, where district-level players are capped at $200 per week, with additional incentives tied to training attendance and performance.
A Ba Football insider revealed that Tirau and Dogalau adopted a “stay-at-home” approach after being presented with an offer that was simply too good to refuse.
Their decision raises broader questions around compatibility, negotiations, and Bula FC’s ability to secure emerging local talent particularly when faced with the pull of loyalty, and financial packages.
Ba Football Association president Praneel Dayal has made no secret of his ambitions at district level.
He has gone all out to restore Ba’s glory days, openly declaring his desire to fill the trophy cabinet in the new year.
For Dayal, it remains a work in progress, driven by significant personal investment and long-term planning.
Meanwhile, Rewa the country’s most successful team of 2025 finds itself in a state of uncertainty after losing six players to Bula FC. Unconfirmed reports also suggest two players are bound for PNG’s Hekari FC, with another linked to a move to Tahiti.
The departures squarely fall on Rewa for failing to remain financially competitive, and on Bula FC for what some view as an ill-considered raid that effectively dismantled an entire squad.
Rewa now faces the daunting prospect of rebuilding from scratch, with the immediate future looking grim.
Ba, on the other hand, has lost two first-team starters Nabil Begg and Rahul Naresh but may yet realise its ambition of becoming a dominant force in local competition, provided traditional heavyweights Lautoka and Labasa do not mount strong challenges.
Ultimately, the decisions by Tirau and Dogalau appear rooted in tradition and loyalty.
