Taveuni’s regional football league kicked off in an upbeat mood Saturday, despite adverse weather conditions looking to make “heroes” of its players and inspire a new generation.
A decade after winning the 2013 senior division Inter-District Championship, Taveuni has fallen behind in the beautiful game of football which is more popular on the Island.
This was possible through a new interim administration appointed by the Fiji Football Association board.
Fiji FA has appointed a normalisation committee which is headed by former president Basant Prasad.
Prasad is not new to the football fraternity here in Taveuni as he had guided the district 10 years ago as president and also played for the district team in the 80s.
A hardworking, Prasad has set things straight for the association with his interim committee.
He has set up hardworking executive members who are eager to move Taveuni Football ahead.
Speaking to Fiji FA Media during its visit to the Garden Island last weekend, Prasad said the love and passion for football forced him to lead the association.
“I have been the president of association back in 2010 but due to some personal reasons I stood back but my love for football and my Island I could not see we get deregister from the Fiji Football Association,”
“I know how crazy people are for football and they all have been supportive since I took over,” said Prasad
“Our aim is to develop young players so that in a few year’s time we can have our team to play in Fiji FACT and IDC.
“We are thankful to Fiji FA Board led by Rajesh Patel for sending its competition manager Amitesh Pal, players licensing manager Rohitesh Narayan and media manager Avikash Chand to educate us and register players for our regional club league,”
“We want to revive football in our island and our participation in this year’s Digicel Senior League is just the beginning.”
“We have six teams now interested in the regional club league which is very great and we hope more teams will join by next year,:
Prasad says the regional league competition will provide a platform for talent to blossom, and tap into a growing enthusiasm for the game on the Island,
“The regional League is the stage where everyone becomes a hero and we
“I want people to see that our league can be more dynamic and more organised,”
“It is good to see here today (Saturday) the teams are so eager to play and surprise to me is that the teams are fully prepared for the competition.”
“But unfortunately as you can see the heavy downpour which has forced us to postpone our other cub game,”
Shelvin Chand, Manager of Central FC one of the clubs participating in the Regional Club League said they were happy to have the competition started.
“We are very happy that after the lapse of five years we will play competitive and more organised football,”
“My team is looking forward playing and we are preparing well for the prizemoney that is at stake for the first time,”
“I think this league will give great exposure to our youths. My team is made of mainly youth boys and I can see some of the clubs have also registered some youth players,”
“So this is a way to develop football here in the Island which will also help Taveuni team in its participation in the Digicel Senior League.
“I am sure in years to come Taveuni will be a team to reckon the way things have started under the new interim administration,”
“We are fully behind the new president who is working very hard to see football get back here,” said Chand
Southern Beasts FC manager Maciu Cerawale said it was great to see football back in action.
“Football brings everyone together here despite religion and culture and this is a way to bring unity and I must salute the new Taveuni FA officials for the job well done,”
“TFA president Basant Prasad is a very hard working person and I think Fiji FA has done a great to get him back as the head of the Association.”
“We are looking forward to better and more successful competition.
The first match was played with Southern Beast FC beating Service United 2-1 while the second match in round one was postponed due to unplayable ground conditions at Wailagi Ground in Taveuni.
PIX caption
Southern Beast’s Mosese Nuweti tussles for possession against Service United’s Epeli Warua in the Taveuni FA’s Regional Club League at Wailagi Ground in Taveuni.