RODAN: IT'S ALL ABOUT MONEY

Joseph Rodan (Senior) would like to see the Tailevu rugby team back on top in the Skipper Cup competition when it kicks-off in August.

The former Paradise Beverages general manager sales and corporate a f fairs was elected president of Tailevu Rugby Union (TRU) on May 17 during their Annual General Meeting ( AGM) in Nausori.

In an interview with SUNsports yesterday Rodan said with the new executives, their goal is to run TRU e f ficiently aligning i t with their vision and mission.

He highlighted they have mapped a five-year business plan and set-up committees for coaching, games and sponsorship.

They are looking at a budget of $200,000 this year which includes pay for their players.

"My plan is to run it like a business," the country's 400metres champion runner said.

"Unfortunately, for a lot of these clubs, they don't run it like a business.

"We know we have a lot of potential players in Tailevu, but in order to get those players playing to the best of their ability, we have to provide the resources.

"I told the executives that for us to get the club up, we need finance. Money is the name of the game and I gave the example of how (Fijian) Drua got in a lot of sponsorship because the ran it like a business. That's exactly what we're doing with Tailevu."

He indicated the executives have started their visitation to villages and districts in Tailevu to present the plans they have laid out. They will be at Bau Island next Monday.

The business plan has also been shared with stakeholders including the Tailevu Provincial Council, Commissioner Central and Members of Parliament who are from the province.

"Tailevu is one of the biggest provinces in Fiji and in order for us to get the support of the vanua, we must start winning.

"The magic word here is winning. In order to win, we must make sure we provide all the equipment's and all the requirements for the team to win. And that's for us executive, we have to do that.

"From my business experience and from being president of FAS ANOC, Athletics Fiji and Mokani rugby, I've found that a lot of sporting bodies don't realise you've got to run it like a business because life is a business."

He said the executives' responsibilities includes securing sponsors, finances and good training facilities in order for the team to win.

"The responsibility of the players and the coaches, they have to play to their best over the ability to win, because when you win, then we will get in a lot of sponsors. Sponsors like to sponsor winners."

Rodan said about $170,000 was used to run the Tailevu rugby club games and Skipper Cup teams last year.

"Our mission is to get to the number one. We want to be at our number one, or from number one to number four, so we can challenge the Farebrother Trophy.

"In order to get to number one, we must win, winning is what we do, our strategy and whatever we put in, we have to win. And if we don't win, that'll be very hard for us to generate income, because winning is a magic formula."

Tailevu Rugby will kick their 10s tournament this Saturday to assist in the selection of their extended squad. Rodan said they have already secured sponsors for the 10s competition.

He was also the president of Mokani Rugby the past three years.

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