THE tears Praneel Dayal shed alone in the darkness after Ba’s heartbreaking defeat in the 2025 FMF Inter-District Championship final became the motivation behind a remarkable season that has restored the Men in Black to their rightful place in Fiji football.
Ba Football Association president Dayal revealed the emotional moment during the club’s four-trophy celebration at Gujarati Grounds, Ba, on Saturday, admitting that the disappointment of failing to deliver silverware to the football-mad town had taken a heavy toll on him.
He said the defeat was more than just a football result, as he felt he had let down the families, supporters and young children who proudly wore the black jersey.
“I went home that night and I cried. I broke down. Because when you lead Ba football, winning isn’t just a nice goal. Winning is just bare minimum,” Dayal told the gathering.
The disappointment came after Ba had reopened its home at 4R Stadium, Govind Park, with thousands of passionate supporters filling the venue in a sea of black, hoping to witness their team reclaim the IDC title.
However, the final whistle brought heartbreak, leaving Dayal with a promise he made to himself.
“That night, alone in dark, I made a quiet promise. I promised myself that I would do whatever it took, everything that I had, to bring a trophy back home to this town here, Ba.”
That promise became the foundation of Ba’s resurgence in 2026.
Dayal acknowledged that the journey was far from easy, with the team struggling during the first round of the Extra Premier League before important decisions were made to rebuild the side.
He admitted that some of those decisions were painful, including parting ways with the coach and three foreign players who did not fit into the team’s plans.
Even after Ba’s remarkable run of victories, Dayal said another difficult decision had to be made, stressing that discipline and the club’s values would never be compromised.
Those decisions eventually paid off, with Ba claiming the Extra Premier League, Fiji FACT, Battle of the Giants and FMF IDC titles in a historic clean sweep.
However, Dayal was quick to share the success with the players, sponsors, business partners, supporters abroad and families who stood behind the club throughout the season.
He also paid tribute to his family for standing beside him through the pressures of leadership, missed dinners and the emotional challenges that came with every defeat.
Beyond the four trophies, Dayal has also helped strengthen the sporting identity of Ba by bringing the town’s two major sporting codes, football and rugby, closer together.
The growing unity between Ba Rugby and Ba Football has created a stronger sporting community, with supporters, players and officials from both codes showing their support for one another on match days.
It is a significant step towards building a united sporting culture in Ba, where success in one code is celebrated by the wider sporting family rather than being confined to individual teams.
For Dayal, the achievement is about more than trophies. It is about building a club that puts its players first, values their well-being and respects them both on and off the field.
He said the changes were already visible in the way the players performed, carried themselves and fought for the black jersey.
“I am just a servant to this team and to this town Ba. Leaders, they come and go, but the black jersey stays forever.”
From a night of tears and disappointment to a season of four major trophies, Dayal’s journey has become part of Ba’s latest football story.
And as the town celebrates its champions, his message remains clear: the black jersey represents more than a football team. It represents the pride, unity and legacy of Ba.
