FIJI football head coach Christophe Gamel was gracious in defeat and has accepted the result of the recent 2017 Pacific Mini Games in Vanuatu.
The national side ended their campaign last Friday with a silver medal despite being undefeated in the competition. Fiji beat Tonga, New Caledonia, Tuvalu and drew with Vanuatu and Solomon Islands. A blunder by goalkeeper Simione Tamanisau cost the national side crucial points against Vanuatu or else Fiji was on track for victory and later could have brought home a gold medal.
“It was a very hard competition but very interesting. I have seen a lot of consistency, we were undefeated,” Gamel said.
“To be honest one or two moment’s substitutions did not do a good job when coming in the field but all our work had paid off except for the one silly mistake — we could have won the gold medal.”
The national coach said he wanted to dedicate the Pacific Mini Games silver medal to the late Rajendra Sharma who was the Fiji Football Association Ba academy manager and sadly passed away last month.
Gamel revealed that he would be returning home for the holidays to spend time with his family and would be back to continue his work with the national side. He is positive for football change in Fiji.
“I know critics are there but I would like to thank the people who are supporting the new era of football in Fiji,” he said.
Looking ahead to the new season, Fiji FA chief executive officer Mohammed Yusuf said a number of internationals should be lined up.
“We are looking at an international friendly against India and if that is not confirmed then probably a triangular series against New Caledonia and Tahiti,” Yusuf said.
