Rodu: Not Easy To Defend

To go into a tournament as defending champions is not easy, says Rewa’s football coach Marika Rodu.

The Delta Tigers went down 2-1 in extra time to Farmtrac Tractors Labasa in the final of the Punjas Battle of the Giants tournament at Churchill Park, Lautoka, last night.

On Saturday, Rewa had a tor­rid semifinal encounter against tournament favourites All in One Builders Nadi, where they came out 1-0 victors through a Setareki Hughes goal in the 68th minute.

Rodu said as defending B.O.G champions they were always faced with pressure.

“I wanted to start with an in­jury free team,” he said.

“I know the fact that Nadi was going to come at us as they were well-rested.”

“Definitely, because we had to play a (Digicel Premier League) game on Wednesday.”

“Our players had niggling in­juries and still tight from the game.”

Rodu said they had been per­forming consistently.

“We don’t have anything to show for. “

“We lost in the Fiji FACT and we bowed out of the Champi­ons League and now the B.O.G. We’ve not won the League. “

“For consistency and the lev­el of football that we play, we have to show no regard for it in terms of the physical trophy or actually winning it.”

He said their win over Nadi really inspired his players as they played their hearts out in the final.

“We are just hanging on to the system and testing it to work.”

“So, today was just another game and understanding the process and the system, that we have just to come and execute. I think for the boys to keep standing is teamwork and the bond within us. “

“Those who started and those who did not start obviously. We played as a team.”

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