Fiji National Men’s and Bula FC Head Coach Stephane Auvray has challenged the Junior Bula Boys to give everything for the national jersey when they take the field at the OFC U19 Men’s Championship in Samoa.
The 23-member Fiji squad leaves our shores tonight for Samoa, where it will begin its campaign against Vanuatu next Wednesday.
Auvray, who has closely followed the team’s preparations, said while results in football could never be guaranteed, effort, commitment and determination were entirely within the players’ control.
“There’s only one thing in football you cannot guarantee — whether you’re going to win or lose. But one thing you can guarantee is that you’re going to give everything you have, and that’s how you make people proud,” Auvray told the players.
He congratulated the players who made the final squad after an extensive selection process involving several rounds of trials and weeks of preparation.
Auvray said the players should enjoy the opportunity of representing Fiji, but stressed that enjoying football should never be confused with treating the tournament lightly.
“Make sure you enjoy what you do, but don’t get mistaken. Enjoying doesn’t mean we’re going for fun. It means you’re going to enjoy working hard and enjoy representing your country.
“I feel personally that it would be unacceptable that you do not give your best for your country. You can play really badly because it happens in football, but you have to give your very best.”
Having watched the Junior Bula Boys during their preparations, Auvray said consistency would be critical throughout the tournament.
“You’re going to have to give everything you have and you’re going to have to be very consistent. Consistency means from beginning to end.
“Coach Marika told you guys the key word is ‘always’, so make sure you are always, always, always doing everything, and at the end, God will decide who wins and who loses.”
Auvray also highlighted the growing pathway available to Fiji’s young footballers from the youth national teams through to Bula FC and ultimately the senior national team.
“If those players are committed, if they work hard and if they have the talent, we will integrate them into the youth national team. And if they work hard, we will integrate them into Bula FC, which is the professional team.”
Four members of the Junior Bula Boys squad are already full-time Bula FC players and featured professionally during the 2026 season.
Auvray believes there are more players within the U19 squad capable of following the same pathway.
“There are more players in this group who have the potential to do so. However, they’re going to have to show during this competition that they also have the ability to raise their level of play and their level of commitment to play for something and not for themselves.”
He said the opportunity was now there for Fiji’s emerging players to progress into professional football.
“The good news is that we’re watching and there are opportunities. There’s a pathway now. There’s a pathway to professionalism — it’s right here.
“You’re going to have to show that you want it more than anybody else.”
Auvray urged the players to embrace the opportunity and understand the responsibility that comes with representing the country.
“Give everything because there’s a target, there’s something at the end. The country is looking at you, so make sure you make people proud because you’re going to work really, really hard.”
Fiji has been drawn in Group B alongside New Zealand, Tahiti and Vanuatu.
The Junior Bula Boys open their campaign against Vanuatu at 11am on Wednesday, September 2, before facing defending champions New Zealand at 3pm on Saturday, September 5.
They complete their Group B campaign against Tahiti at 11am on Tuesday, September 8.
All three matches will be played at Samoa Football HQ – Field 2.
