I NORMALLY don’t write sports pieces, but the growing controversy around Fiji’s first proclaimed “professional” football club, Bula FC, makes this one worth attention.
Bula FC was formed to compete in the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) professional league, yet nobody knows the structure, ownership, or revenue sources of the club.
The club is trying to position itself as a football equivalent of the Drua model, but the lack of transparency has generated more criticism than support among fans, an expected result whenever one attempts to insult the intelligence of Fijians.
The Fiji Football Association (FFA) have said it would not comment on Bula FC matters because it is a private club. But strangely, the CEO and commercial officer are FFA officials.
One of the most debated decisions has been the recruitment package for 38-year-old national captain Roy Krishna. Reports indicate the deal includes a high salary and merchandising arrangements linked to his newly formed RK21 brand, which has drawn a lot of criticism, particularly because FFA Vice President Naziah Ali-Krishna is the Commercial Officer of the club and also Krishna’s wife.
FFA president Rajesh Patel said for a player on a “million-dollar contract” to come back home, he must see clear financial and long-term benefits, but is he the same player he once was when he was the top scorer in the Indian Super League?
Now don’t get me wrong: Roy Krishna is a Fijian footballing icon and has had a career that all Fijians can be proud of, however, he is 38 years old and at the very end of his playing career.
Before joining Bula FC, Roy Krishna was contracted with Malappuram FC in India’s Kerala League, a lower-tier competition, and his recorded statistics there clearly show a player in decline.
Across 10 matches (735 minutes), Krishna registered just 7 total shots, with only 4 on target – averaging less than half a shot on target per game. He scored 2 goals, both from penalties, missed 1 penalty, and recorded zero goals from open play. His pass accuracy stood at only 52 per cent, he managed just one assist, and completed only 7 dribbles across all appearances.
These are very bad stats.
Worse, according to the Times of India, the Indian league is in a crisis, cannot find a sponsor, has been delayed for over six months, and foreign players have been told to find other opportunities.
Did the brains trust at FFA/Bula FC really not look at basic statistics or the situation, or apply basic negotiation principles before giving the club’s resources away to such a large extent?
Those involved in sports administration understand that contract decisions are not just about reputation or past glory – they are about present value, projected performance, and efficient use of club resources. Modern football management relies heavily on performance data, recent match impact, fitness trends, and age-related decline curves.
How many younger strikers who could be developed to take us into the future – and maybe even a World Cup – have now lost their opportunity because of wasting resources on a 38-year-old?
You can argue about this all you want, the results speak for themselves.
Bula FC is nowhere near winning the league, and Krishna has one goal from four matches, scored from a rebound on a set piece, while Bula FC gets dominated by second-tier suburban teams from Melbourne.
Auckland’s Development side with under 17 players is 10 points ahead of Bula FC after only 5 games. Disastrous.
The declaration by chairman Marc McElrath that as a private club, Bula FC doesn’t have to answer to fans has not helped their cause and it seems to be one bumbling PR disaster after another.
A sports team is nothing without its fans because fans enable the club to be commercially viable. Sponsors come in to attract the fans as customers. Lose the fans, and you lose the commercial heartbeat that keeps the club alive.
When you look at the decisions made by those running Fiji football, you begin to realise why New Zealand thrashed us 7–0 in last year’s World Cup qualifiers. Their decision-making shows a lack of basic strategic thinking and common sense, especially in recruitment.
Iceland, with a population of 400,000, made it to the FIFA World Cup – half of Fiji’s population – but with proper leadership at the helm.
Fiji’s 0-7 thrashing by the All Whites and continued failure in soccer point to serious strategic shortcomings in football leadership, and the lack of sustained media scrutiny is concerning, because in countries truly serious about growing the sport, heads would have rolled by now.
Until next week – take care and be safe.
