MOHAMMED Yusuf is the new Fiji Football Association chief executive officer.
Yusuf replaces outgoing CEO Bob Kumar who served Fiji FA for more than 25 years as administrator, secretary and then as the association’s CEO.
In a press statement, Fiji FA president Rajesh Patel said Yusuf was appointed following a thorough recruitment process designed for the organisation’s future growth plans.
“We thank Bob for his many years of dedicated service to Fiji and Oceania football,” Patel said.
“He now takes a well earned retirement and we wish him well for the future. We welcome Yusuf back to the Fijian football fraternity, this time as CEO, to take the management team and all our affiliates to another level.
“This includes modernising our business approach and creating added value for all our players, administrators, fans, patrons, sponsors and stakeholders.”
Yusuf is a former Nadroga Football Association president and also served as Fiji FA vice-president and senior vice-president from 1990 to 2007.
He had been in senior supervisory roles with Lufthanasa Service Group based at Auckland Airport and had been Fiji FA’s international liaison executive playing a leading role in the Fiji-affiliated veterans tournament and Pacific Cup.
He was also involved in the Fiji Sugar Corporation for 29 years from 1978. He led Nadroga to their Inter-District Championship win after 50 years in 1998.
He was also the national team director, FIFA match commissioner and in 2008 he was also awarded the FIFA Order of Merit for his contribution to football developments in the Pacific region.
“You simply have to look around to see how far Fiji has come, not just in football and sports, but in terms of economic progress and development,” he said in a press statement.
“It was too good an opportunity to pass up — a chance to contribute towards the growth of football as well as to our country in general.
“We need a sustainable business model, new revenue streams which flow back to the districts and increased organisational efficiency.
“When we get things right off the field, the results will show on the field — in the quality of our domestic competitions, and the performance of our national and age group men’s and women’s teams.”
He will take over the CEO role from March 1.
