We Do Lose. Give Coaches, Players Space, Time To Win.

Sometimes the uncertainties and inconsistencies of the achievements of our national teams drive us mad.

But do we have to get to that extent of getting mad simply because the outcome was not what we expected?

Are we really that bad, that we can’t swallow defeat. We moan and groan because it’s simply unacceptable to lose.

We profess to be a proud nation in times of triumph but we show our true colour when we lose.

We show our true character as an arrogant one-sided bunch of fans, one-dimensional in our thinking, that winning is the only option.

Sometimes we want quick fix solutions and immediate results as the way forward knowing full well that achievements or successes come after years of planning and putting processes in place.

Fans need to give players and coaches breathing space to perform.

We witnessed in the past that careful planning, years of hard work, patient building and selection did wonders for our country.

A case in point is former national 7s coach Ben Ryan. It took him three years of planning and hard work to win Fiji’s first gold medal at the 2016 Rio

Olympic Games.

After failing to win either the Melrose

Cup (Rugby Sevens

World Cup) or the

World Sevens Series titles during nine years with England,

Ryan made the right twists and turns to win 7s gold in Rio.

Our coaches currently in the spotlight are Vicki Wilson (netball) and Fiji Airways

Drua Senirusi Seruvakula (rugby) should be given ample space and time to prepare for the future. Currently playing in the Netball Europe Championship in Cardiff, the 8th ranked Fijian Pearls were not only beaten but outclassed by 12th ranked Scotland on Thursday.

Yesterday, the side was further outclassed by a 7th ranked Wales 61-40.

Whatever the outcome in our game against Ireland this morning, we might slip in the ranking after the tournament.

But that’s irrelevant as winning is secondary at this time. What is needed is for the Fijian Pearls to get maximum international exposure before the 2018 Commonwealth Games at the Gold Coast and the 2019 Netball World Cup in Liverpool, England.

That’s where winning every game is important. The Fiji Airways Drua copped a lot of flak after the 66-5 drubbing by the Canberra Vikings last week. Critics disregarded the past achievements of the Drua winning three out of five and being fourth on the table.

Despite the Vikings clinical display, fans found it hard to swallow the loss.

Yesterday, the Fiji Airways Drua showed that losing is part of the winning process.

In a remarkable turnaround, the John Stewart –captained side thumped Greater Sydney Rams 57-31 in a brilliant show of open, entertaining rugby at TG Milner Field in Sydney.

Vodafone Flying Fijians head coach John McKee will have a wider range of players available to him for the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan.

Again there will be highlights and lowlights along the way and fans need to understand and be patient

We show our true character as an arrogant one-sided bunch of fans, onedimensional in our thinking, that winning is the only option.