FOR midfielder Yuta Konagaya, the birth of Fiji’s first professional football club is a masterclass in leadership through labour.
As the Extra Bula FC readies for its historic debut in the OFC Pro League this afternoon, the weight of expectation is heavy as this is a fundamental shift in the nation’s sporting landscape.
While the club has transitioned from amateur roots to a professional setup, the journey has been gruelling.
“As a club, we have worked really hard to be professional,” Konagaya said.
“It was tough, but we enjoyed it. We sort of started from scratch and did our best to build up our style of play.”
In a club filled with young, aspiring Fijian talent, Kongaya isn’t interested in being a vocal general, instead, he believes the blueprint for a professional athlete is written in sweat.
“I wanted to show my experience to the younger players. It’s important for me to show how much I can do with my actions rather than words. I try every day, working very hard every day, showing what a real professional player is.”
He said that the team chemistry is finally clicking and the tactical cohesion between the veterans’ experience and the raw speed of the local talent is expected to be the engine room of Bula FC’s campaign.
The team will be in action today at 2pm against Vanuatu United FC at Auckland’s Eden Park.
