SEVEN years after their last league triumph, the Men in Black are back on top and Ba Football Club president Praneel Dayal believes the return to glory is more than just the end of a trophy drought.
Ba sealed the Extra Premier League title after a dominant campaign, adding the league crown to the Fiji FACT title they won earlier this season.
The two major trophies fulfil a target Dayal once described as more than enough under his leadership.
But as the celebrations continue, Dayal says the achievements are not the destination.
They are the foundation of what he hopes will become a new chapter for one of Fiji’s most successful football clubs.
“It is very difficult to put into words what this achievement means to me personally.
“When I took on this responsibility, my objective was never simply to win one trophy. The bigger objective was to rebuild Ba Football Club into a properly structured, professionally managed and competitive football organisation.”
For seven years, the league title had eluded Ba, leaving supporters longing for the days when the black-and-yellow side dominated Fiji football.
Dayal says rebuilding the club required more than simply recruiting better players.
The administration, finances, coaching, player welfare, recruitment, discipline, sponsorship and relationship with supporters all had to be addressed.
“The biggest challenge was understanding that you cannot rebuild a football club by changing only the players. You have to rebuild the entire environment around the team,” he said.
There was also a psychological hurdle.
After several seasons without a league title, Dayal believed the club had to change its mindset and restore the expectation that Ba should always be challenging for major honours.
“We needed to change that mentality. We wanted everyone associated with Ba to believe that competing for trophies is not an ambition it is the standard,” he said.
That change in mentality was reflected on the field this season.
Winning the Fiji FACT provided the first major indication that the rebuilding process was beginning to bear fruit.
The league title then followed, proving to Dayal that the success was not simply a one-off tournament triumph.
“Winning the Fiji FACT was a very special moment because it gave everyone the belief that we were moving in the right direction,” he said.
“Winning the Extra Premier League afterwards confirmed that it was not a one-off achievement. It demonstrated that we had built a team capable of performing consistently over an entire season.”
Dayal believes the strength of the current side lies in its combination of talent, coaching, unity and mentality.
While Ba have quality and experienced players capable of changing matches, he says the most important factor has been the willingness of the squad to put the team ahead of individual interests.
“The biggest difference is the combination of talent, coaching, unity and mentality.
“We created a squad where everyone understood that the team comes before the individual.”
The coaching staff, he added, played a major role in bringing different personalities and playing styles together and turning them into one competitive unit.
For Dayal, the consistency shown throughout the league season was particularly impressive.
“What impressed me most was their consistency, discipline and willingness to fight for each other. ”
But while the players and coaches have been the face of Ba’s success, Dayal is quick to acknowledge the work of those operating away from the spotlight.
Board members, team officials, medical personnel, volunteers, sponsors and supporters all played a part in creating the platform for the team to succeed.
“Our players deserve tremendous credit. They have worked hard, sacrificed, accepted competition for places and, most importantly, played for the badge,” he added.
He also paid tribute to generations of Ba players, officials and administrators who built the club’s proud football history.
“We did not create Ba’s football legacy; we inherited it.
“Our responsibility was to protect that legacy and build something stronger for the next generation.”
The league triumph also means Ba will return to the OFC Champions League in 2027, providing the club with an opportunity to measure itself against the best clubs in the region.
For Dayal, however, the immediate focus is not on making grand predictions.
He wants to build structures that can sustain Ba’s success beyond one golden season.
“We want to continue attracting quality players and coaches, strengthen our administration, improve our development structures and create a pathway for young Ba players to eventually represent the senior team,” he said.
And while supporters may dream of a new era of dominance, Dayal is cautious about making promises.
“Is this the beginning of a new era of dominance? That is certainly what we want. But I would rather not make big promises about dominance. Football does not work that way.
“What I can promise is that Ba will continue to set very high standards.”
After seven years of waiting, two major trophies now sit in the Ba cabinet.
For a club whose identity has always been built around winning, Dayal believes the challenge now is to ensure this season is not remembered simply as a comeback.
It must be the beginning of something bigger.
“The two trophies are not the destination. They are the foundation,” he said proudly.
