Nemani’s Decision Paves Way Forward
Amidst his illustrious sporting career, Jone Maritino Nemani, made his decision to continue his university studies. It was tough but he had no other option as he thought about his future.
Fondly known among football fans as Maritino Nemani, he was one of our star defenders when Fiji caused the region’s biggest upset by beating Australia 1-0 in the first round of the 1990 FIFA World Cup qualification final at Prince Charles Park, Nadi on November 26, 1988.
Sun: You’ve represented Suva and Fiji in football. And you did this while you had to cope with your studies and work. How did you do it?
Nemani: Firstly, I attended Marist Brothers High School where I played rugby, athletics and football during my final two years.
I was selected into the Suva premier side and the Fiji football team while still in high school. In fact it never surfaced to me during my prime playing days what it will be like or what will I do when football is over.
One Saturday in 1989, I switched from football to rugby and I was playing for Nabua rugby team against YMCA at Albert Park Ground 1, when I twisted my right knee in a tackle.
I didn’t complete that game and was rushed to hospital. I couldn’t walk without assistance, that was the turning point in my sports career.
I was serious and made plans to go back to USP (University of the South Pacific) to study.
However, because I loved sports so bad, I continue to play at top level, but at the same time studying part time.
I coached for a few years for the Suva football team and continued to pursue my dreams for a better qualification that could assist me after sports.
I went into study over-drive after a very successful Suva and Fiji football career. I successfully attained a Diploma in Industrial Relations and Management and a Bachelor of Arts Degree at USP and a Master of Commerce degree from UNSW, in Sydney, Australia.
I have held senior management roles in Fiji and in the Pacific in diverse industries including academic teaching at USP, University of Auckland and AUT University in Human Resources and Strategic
Management disciplines.
Before returning to Fiji, for this current role as Permanent Secretary, I was the Chief HR and Governance Adviser to the Government of Nauru under the AUSAID assignment.
Sun: Before we move on tell us something about your background? Nemani: I hail from the Mataqali Vatusugu, in Nadivakarua, Kubulau in Bua with maternal links to Yavusa Nakama in Yaroi in Savusavu.
I’m the second eldest in a family of seven siblings
Sun: You’ve captained the national football team- tell us your funniest moments with the team?
Nemani: During our national footbball team days, we used to look forward to attending weekend camps and tours. Camp and team bonding is an absolutely fantastic platform for team success.
Apart from serious business, I used to enjoy listening to jokes by some team comedians who will talk about their silly acts.
But nothing will beat Ravuama Madigi’s massage technique or therapy on our late team director Mr Chandar Dip Sharma in Solomon Islands during the 1st Melanesian Cup in 1988.
Sun: You played rugby and could have excelled but instead you chose to play football. Why?
Nemani: Yes indeed, to be honest football in those days was seen as a sport that looked after players benefit.
Players did not need to buy boots and so on, the team clubs, officials will buy it for them, even football fans will buy it for you.
Football had a huge following and had loyal fans.
They would spend money to assist players. I played both rugby and football during my prime playing days, I would lend boots bought by my football officials to my Nabua rugby mates. That is one reason I stuck to football.
Again it’s affordable sports for me because at that time I couldn’t even afford to pay for the cheapest boots. The other important factor was, I saw football as an environment where I could enrich and enhance a better understanding about my Fijian friends of all races and background.
While football was administered by Indo-Fijians at that time, players were very diverse. This gave me lots of satisfaction and respect for all races despite our differences. I also picked up Hindi language along the way, eat and sleep in places and houses around Fiji that belonged to football players and officials with different background to mine and still appreciate them as my own and as normal human beings.
Sun: You also became the first iTaukei to be the Suva Football Association president. What was it like to head the country’s biggest football district?
Nemani: Leadership is about respect, trust, integrity, humility and building relationships. It’s also about appreciation of your team’s contribution, doesn’t matter how small or big.
That was something that I carried with me on and off the field.
It was not too difficult to be appointed to be president for Suva
Football Association.
I guess for me as a former player, captain, and coach for Suva football team made selection easy and had a huge impact, as I already knew the system.
Besides being a very loyal Suva player that never played for any other district contributed to affiliates seeing right through me, what I could offer in return to the people of Suva.
These were important ingredients that was enabling for me.
In addition it was during that time I had returned to Fiji from New Zealand to be Head of Human Resources and Corporate in the Pacific region with Fosters Group Australia (Carlton Brewery Limited ).
My style was participative, collaborative, humble and would listen. It was very challenging as well because during my leadership Suva operated on cash because we couldn’t borrow..
We had a huge OD (overdraft) and we had debts inherited from the past. However, we survived and thanks to all our Suva loyal fans and business people.
Teamwork and trust was the key and it was important that teams see the benefit of being part of the Suva Football Association by having regular club competition and develop your own players - home grown. It was during this time that the management and executive team also agree to resurrect the ailing and depleted Suva Football House and turn it into a useful long term investment.
Today, I’m proud that during my leadership and through collaboration and goodwill Suva Football has a long term investment property.
Sun: Two important messages to our Fijian football players who are now playing professionally?
Nemani: Firstly, love and enjoy your football, and be committed, aim high beyond the skies. You don’t have to look far, a shinning example is Roy Krishna.
Second, think about your future after football. Motivate yourself to acquire good academic qualifications or skills that will look after you when you finish football because life doesn’t stop after football. Good qualifications and skills is your passport to the future
Today, as the Permanent Secretary for Youth and Sports, he spoke about his journey, why he preferred football over rugby and what triggered him to make that decision.