Day Of Shame For Ba, Says Ex- Star Striker
Former Ba and national football striker Taito Bula described the Men in Black 6-0 humiliation by defending champion Auckland City as shameful.
It was Ba’s first match of the Oceania Champions League where they trailed 3-0 at halftime in Pape’ete, Tahiti and had no answer in the second half.
“It is a shame for Ba team. They bring in a former All Whites coach but he did not function,” the Nailaga, Ba native said.
“I played and a proud son of Ba and I’m very disappointed. Ba is renowned for its prowess in the country and in the region because Ba players played for Ba not the way round.
“I know you want to promote football but Ba is the biggest loser in this instance.”
Former All Whites coach Ricki Herbert included Micah Tommy, Papua New Guinean central defender Alwin Komolong, Benjamin Totori, Samuela Drudru and goalkeeper Beniamino Mateinaqara in the squad.
“They tend to buy players from everywhere but Ba sold players but does not buy players during our time. We have players playing club football in Ba. Which district will they play for when half of the players are brought in from different districts?
“We need to develop our own players. Again, the team needs to do some soul searching.
“It is just not connecting from the coach to the players and it is a pity that this continues to happen at Ba Football,” he said.
Herbert, who quit New Zealand national league club Hamilton Wanderers to take over Ba – blamed loose marking for the six-goal defeat.
“It was a tough one. We knew it would be like that,” he told Stuff.
“Probably a little bit disappointed with some of the simple mistakes we made.
“I thought we started really well. I thought we were right on the front foot.”
NEXT GAME
Ba play Lupe o Le Soaga on Thursday and AS Venus next Monday in the Group D pool at the Stade Pater Te Hono Niu.
Bula represented Ba from 1988 to 1999 and had a single season with Lautoka before retiring.
He was a member of the team which won gold at the 1991 Pacific Games in PNG for the first time.
Edited by Osea Bola
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