Football, good as it gets

Opinions / Analysis

FOOTBALL in Fiji is as good as it gets, the Pacific Cup validates.

The tournament saw the worst of Fiji’s best four districts.

Inter District Champions Labasa, CVC, BOG and Fiji Fact champion Lautoka, Digicel Premier League champions Rewa and IDC finalist Navua got beat at their own game.

And while the FFA harps about progress and standard, performance leading to results are discouraging.

What is also embarrassing is that between the four teams, some  dozen national team players represented their districts, who were made to look ordinary.

Future national selection

There's a fair argument that those are bodies and moving forward national teams must be selected from New Zealand, Australia and the USA representatives.

These players are better, have truly embraced a tactical fluidity and have proven themselves to be smart unlike Fiji players who are just a case of chasing down opponents like headless chickens.

Football mindset in the country isn’t all about being the best and the reflection of it was on display and it gets replicated with the national team.

District team’s find it hard to play in the 90-minute game, let alone 60-minute, each times footballers find the game a difficult sport

In recent times criticism has reached crescendo, following the national football team’s failure to win against the island nations.

With so much Fifa funding, sponsorships and gate takings, much hasn’t changed in the way football is played.

The sport is heading backwards and while followers understand the sad reality, the head honchos put on straight faces praising progress.

Football academy

To add insult to performance is the announcement that a new state of the art Lomolomo Academy, work on the $55 million is set to start by the end of the year.

It is touted to provide world-class opportunities for players.

“Poised to transform Fiji into a football powerhouse, providing a platform for young players to shine and strengthening the country’s position on the global football map.”

Like seriously?

What good has come out of the Fiji FA, Ba and Labasa Academies is anyone’s guess.

On the back of it, age groups to national teams’ are getting beat to a pulp.

There hasn’t been much shine and strength in the performance.

And if the treble academies failed to ‘strengthen’ the country’s position on the global football map, what would.

For someone like me who has been following the sport for over a half century, the new academy is a bad sell, that a thinking football mind wouldn’t spare to blow their last breath on the promise that development, football standard and ranking would change.

This is no exaggeration, but a reality, the reflection of bad run academies has it before the world.

Quality football

New Zealand, Australia and the USA are far ahead with their football that Fijian teams could only envy.

Look no further than the New Zealand teams, for a second year running top two appeared in the grand finale.

And the USA All stars, a team that beat teams seemingly at will, only to lose to the eventual tournament winner NZFFI Auckland All stars in a marked second consecutive semi final loss.

These teams share fair success and school Fijian teams with commitment and style.

NZFFI Auckland All stars beat Manukau All stars  2-0 to retain the championship as the beauty of their football lies in the eyes of the beholder.

Guest-import players

Former national team footballer and coach Tagi Vonolagi blew up a storm on social media, questioning the ‘purpose of the Pacific Cup tournament’ and the inclusion of the guest players isn’t a smart rebuke as he is.

It seems he isn’t quite abreast with FFA rules on playing guest players, who have no roots and or links to Fiji.

Tagi must understand that football continues to evolve and players from around the globe represent in different clubs, Fiji is no exception.

And besides, the FFA enacted a law allowing non-citizens players to play in all domestic competitions, and so why not in the Pacific Cup.

It all comes down to, 'empty pockets make empty heads' and it is always the losers who are complaining after the result.

Football in Fiji is as good as it gets.