Interim Digicel Bula Boys coach Marika Rodu is confident to build a strong team ahead of the Tri-Nations FIFA International Friendlies later this month.
“I know that I’ve built myself up through the years coaching the women’s and Rewa senior team and I believe in the work ethics that I’ve adopted along the way.”
“I can manage the situation despite the criticism and the negativity around the selection and always around Fiji football. I believe that I can do the job and instead of criticising, I’m here to step up and fill in the gap.”
Rodu also highlighted the national side has a strong team culture and added that unity in the team will help Fiji progress in the competition.
“We need to believe in our culture, we need to believe in how we’ve been brought up as Fijians. I believe that we are brought up in communities based in villages in a settlement and when there is an activity or death in the family or marriage. We have a sense of togetherness coming together as a community to help out each other. I think the same concept with the same principle can be brought into football when we work together as a group, there is a lot to be achieved. So I think fans and the team cannot work in isolation. We need to work together.”
Fiji will open its campaign against Vanuatu at 5 pm at Churchill Park in Lautoka on the 20th.
Three days later, the Bula Boys will take on Fiji Under 20 at 2 pm at the Fiji FA Academy in Ba.
The national side will play their last match against the Solomon Islands at 5 pm at Churchill Park in Lautoka on the 26th.
