Fiji Football Association president Rajesh Patel has urged district officials to prioritise grassroots development instead of spending thousands of dollars recruiting overseas players.
Speaking at the Fiji FA Coaches Workshop at the Fiji FA Academy in Suva today, Patel expressed disappointment at the lack of commitment towards youth development in some districts.
“It is very disheartening to see districts spend thousands and thousands of dollars bringing players from other countries, and then you don’t see the result at the end of the day,” Patel said.
“When you develop your own players, they will be the backbone of your district.”
Patel said district officials needed to look beyond senior teams and major tournaments and invest more resources in developing young players.
He said Fiji FA had development programmes catering for children from as young as four and five years old through to the under-19 level, but districts needed to play their part.
“It is not the time just to come and vote and leave and forget about it. Not the time just to come to IDC and forget about the whole development for the whole year,” he said.
Patel praised the Rewa Kachi League as an example of grassroots development that other districts should follow.
He also raised concerns about the lack of commitment from some district officials during visits by Fiji FA development personnel.
Patel said Fiji’s ambition to reach the FIFA World Cup would require stronger cooperation between the national body and district associations.
“It can only happen when the districts decide, let’s develop together, let’s do it and then only Fiji will succeed,” he said.
The workshop brought together district coaches and officials to discuss football development and future planning.
