Bula Boys head coach Rob Sherman has made it clear that national reps will not be given release to feature for their respective teams in the 2023 Extra Supermarket Futsal Inter District Championship (IDC) in Suva this week.
A 20-member squad with the likes of national Futsal captain Filipe Baravilala, Ba pivot Etonia Dogalau, Tailevu Naitasiri pair of Merrill Nand and Mohammed Ramzan Khan and Suva target Dave Radrigai are currently in camp at the Fiji Football Association Academy in Namosau in Ba for the upcoming Pacific Games in the Solomon Islands.
Sherman said Futsal is different from 11-a-side football and by now districts must have their own five-a-side set-up players.
“It’s understandable that a few national reps are playing for their respective futsal teams and national Futsal team but this camp is very important for the Pacific Games thus, every player is focused on that.”
“We want to utilise these three weeks to fully prepare our boys for the tournament as we hope to win Gold this year even if we have to deny players from playing futsal while we understand that teams have their own futsal set-up.”
“They are undergoing various training and should we require testing them out before the team departs, we might play some friendly matches against Ba or Lautoka but that depends on players’ physicality level.”
Bula Boys squad: Filipe Baravilala, Nabil Begg, Sitiveni Cavuilagi, Etonia Dogalau, Thomas Dunn, Lekima Gonerau, Setareki Hughes, Ilimotama Jese, Epeli Leiroti, Gabiriele Matanisiga, Akuila Mateisuva, Brendan McMullen, Sairusi Nalaubu, Merrill Nand, Jason Rokovucake, Kishan Sami, Tevita Waranaivalu, Roy Krishna, Mohammed Ramzan Khan, Dave Radrigai, Patrick Joseph, Sterling Vasconcellos, Mohammed Alzaar Alam.
