Ali believes team can win

NAVUA football team coach Saiyad Ali believes his team can do wonders at this year’s Digicel Fiji FACT despite mixed results in the first round of the Digicel Premier League.

“Navua is drawn in a tough pool as I can say a ‘pool of death’,” Ali said.

“But as we always know and have seen so many times that even from a pool of death a weaker team qualifies for the semi-finals and even final.

“The reason being I think like in 2003 when Navua first won the Fiji FACT tournament which was my first coaching assignment. We lost eight national league matches in a row then and we went to the Fiji FACT and on paper we were the weakest team in the tournament but we came out winner.

“At times on paper when we look at teams, we start to predict who will qualify from their respective pools, but then again, as I said, we have seen so many times in the game of football that anything happen during the games.

“I would say the teams have been enough break to prepare for the tournament which is something very good for the coaches and players because before you know usually the teams were not given enough time to prepare but I will say all teams will come out well prepared after knowing who they will play in group stages.

“Another very good thing this year is that a plus point for coaches and players is that the tournament will be played in three weekends which will give the coaches to work on their mistakes and weakness before tournament proper kicks off.”

Navua will start its campaign against Nadi this Sunday at 1pm at the ANZ Stadium in Suva.