The Fiji national team arrived in Solomons on Tuesday and will open their OFC Nations Cup campaign against New Zealand on Saturday June 2 before taking on the hosts on Monday at Lawson Tama Stadium.
“New Zealand is far away by miles.
They have all the experience and they have all their professional players. None of the Island players have the standard they have. But it’s only a 90 minute game and what matters is on match day.
If our players and other Island teams follow the right instruction then anything can happen,” Fiji coach Juan Carlos Buzzetti told SunSPORTS in an interview yesterday.
He added: “We did the job when we beat them (New Zealand) 2-0 in the last World Cup qualification but that does not mean we can do it again.”
“It’s a completely different time now, it’s four years later and New Zealand did not lost a game in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, and they still have the same players or even better ones and some high level players, so New Zealand without any doubt are the favourites,” he said.
Roy Krishna was the hero for Fiji four years ago when he scored two goals to beat an under-strength All Whites outfit, but that loss did little to stop New Zealand to go on a create a piece of history at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
But Buzzetti insisted that proper concentration and focus by Fiji and the rest of the Island teams is what’s needed to beat New Zealand at next month’s Nations Cup.
“We can talk and we can keep on giving instructions from outside of the pitch, but it is the players that need to perform on the day and it is the players that need to follow instructions and keep their concentration and their focus and that is what all the Islands countries do not have.
“New Zealand already have that and the Islands players have the problem of losing concentration and their focus very easily, but we are working on this to believe in ourselves to get a result, even if it’s a draw or a win would be fantastic.
But we will go and play their game because we have nothing to lose.
They (New Zealand) are the ones that have something to lose,” Buzzetti said.
Fiji’s preparation at home have been hampered by bad weather and flooding and also seeing some key players omitted from their current squad due to injury, but Buzzetti believes his players have the quality to be able to do the job.
“This is a completely different squad from the one that went to the Pacific Games, but these players are more mature now, better skilled with better understanding of the game.
It’s an extraordinary squad. My only concern is about their fitness because the time we had together was not enough.
“But I have no problem with the skill and the ability the players have, they are the players I trust and they are the players that are playing better this moment,” he said.
“My main concern when I play matches is my team, not the opposition. Of course, I will give instructions but I care about my team and leave the other team to worry about us,” he added.
Fiji captain Simione Tamanisau who is not new to this role, said it was an honour for him to captain the side in the championship to be held at the Lawson Tama Stadium in Honiara.
“It’s a great honour to lead the side. I want to thank the officials for giving me this role and having faith in me,” the former Rewa and Navua goalkeeper said.
Tamanisau, who is a police officer by profession, said they had a good side capable of producing excellent results in the Nations Cup.
He said despite the exclusion of top midfielder Malakai Tiwa because of injuries, there were players in the squad with the ability to fill the void left by the Ba player.
“For us, we will be taking a game at a time and our main focus right now is New Zealand. We got a mixture of young and experienced players and I think it’s a good side”, he said.
Source: Island Sun
No magic to beat All Whites but focus says Buzzetti
