HONIARA – Ba coach Yogendra Dutt says he expects an exciting technical battle of wits in tomorrow’s Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) O-League clash against Solomon Islands
champions Kossa FC at Lawson Tama Stadium.
Dutt – whose team lost 2-1 to Tafea FC last week – says Ba passed up several gilt-edged opportunities to have won the game and lamented his team’s lack of build-up for such an
important match.
“The Fiji National League restarts this week and we had not played a competitive fixture since last year.
There is only limited benefit gained from playing matches amongst yourselves as the boys know what to do against their team-mates in all situations.
I think we lacked sharpness because of this reason and you saw the result,” Dutt said.
2007 could be considered a year of almost total success for the Dutt-coached Ba with five domestic titles and an OFC O-League runners-up spot indicative of the unremitting
expectation for winning in the province.
Losing the talented Fiji international pairing of Peni Finau (above) and Osea Vakatalesau has been a blow to the team and Dutt has not ruled out the possibility of re-signing the
brothers for the remainder of the Fiji domestic season.
“If the chance comes for Ba players to move on to greener pastures then we do not stand in the players way.
But in Peni and Osea’s case I think perhaps they chose the wrong club.
In Fiji the competition is always intense and they have found it different at Youngheart Manawatu.”
The Ba coach says that the philosophy of the province has been to promote players from within its youth and junior ranks because moulding those players is always easier than
seeking out the best players from other provinces or countries in Fiji or Oceania.
This has been the philosophical approach to replacing players lost to other clubs since last season.
However, if the right player such as Roy Krishna came along, Dutt wouldn’t commit publicly to a transfer move for him.
“I cannot say yes or no to a question like that at this time.
There are factors to consider such as if a player will fit or mould into the Ba way of playing.
What I can say about Roy Krishna is yes, he is a very good player.
Would I sign him for Ba? I cannot say yes or no.”
DUTT: FIFA Club World Cup remains Ba’s long term aim
Dutt says despite the loss of key players from his all-conquering 2007 squad, he is still aiming for a shot at the FIFA Club World Cup.
“That is the aim. But first and foremost we must finish top of Group B.
If we do not do that then the FIFA Club World Cup does not matter.”
Ba will need to take something back to Fiji with them if they hope to fulfil its coaches ambition.
A second consecutive away defeat would throw the initiative back into Tafea FC’s court.
But that type of pressure has been an element the Ba coaching team has thrived upon rather than feared.
Dutt says the pressure of coaching a team expected to always win is intense but to be expected.
“Oh, yes! There is always pressure at Ba to win.
It is a football province and if you lose, fans are not necessarily critical of you, but the questions come quickly as to why you make certain decisions and not others.”
Dutt is non-plussed at speculation of an expected crowd of 20,000.
“We were here in 2006 to play Marist FC, so we know what to expect.
I don’t know much about Kossa but I expect a very technical rather than physical game.
We received a very good reception from the Solomon Islands fans.
They are very passionate about football, so I don’t expect any problems.”
Dutt’s familiarity with Solomon Islands passionate love affair with football is genuine and he speaks in glowing terms of former international players of whom he has a high
opinion.
“I think of Batram Suri, who was a good striker and played in Fiji and Benjamin Totori who plays in New Zealand is also a very good player.”
Ba is expected to take an inspection of Lawson Tama Stadium this afternoon and enjoy a relaxing beach training session in the evening.
Ba has no major injury concerns ahead of the match.
MEDIA COVERAGE
OFC O-LEAGUE
MONDAY 25 FEBRUARY 2008
KOSSA FC vs. BA
LAWSON TAMA STADIUM
HONIARA
SOLOMON ISLANDS
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