Former Fiji U23 central defender Zainal Ali is aiming to seal a spot in the Bula Boys squad to the Pacific Games in the Solomon Islands later this year.
The Navua rep, who is currently part of the national extended squad said he is currently working on his consistency and knows that national team selection won’t be easy.
“I have played for Fiji before and the Pacific Games is no exception for me. I want to represent Fiji in the sport that I’m very much passionate about. I have undergone trials during the Under 20 and 23 and that’s where our selection starts,” Ali told FijiLive.
“The national team trials won’t be the same but I’m ready to give my best. Playing against the national players in the League games is really motivating. Although we play against them, at the same time we get to see their level of football which encourages me to do a better level in each game.”
The 24-year-old from Navakai in Nadi said the Digicel Fiji Premier League is a huge boost for him to stay in shape.
“There are a lot of midfielders in Fiji and in the national team, there is huge competition. I just need more game time to stay consistent in my form so that I can give my best performance on the field.”
“It’s tough at times when we play weekly because we have families, work and daily training. It’s all about time management and focusing on the training so that come game day I’m putting my learning into action.”
“Fitness is something that national team coaches always look into players and I try to feature in the league games every week so that I am fit and consistent in the games.”
The Pacific Games will be played from 19 November to 2 December.
