Simran Chand 
Fiji Bula Boys head coach Stéphane Auvray says the national side’s recent performance at the MSG Prime Ministers Cup has exposed a huge gap in fitness and overall playing standards.
Auvray said the outing offered a blunt assessment of where the players stand, highlighting the need for rapid improvement if Fiji is to compete confidently on the international stage in the coming two years.
He noted that while some impressed with their work rate and technical ability, others struggled to cope with the demands of high-level football something he considers normal during a wider selection phase.
“To be eligible who have the potential to actually play those important games that we’ll have a year and a half, two years from now. The luxury is that we have time to select those players and really build our identity. I’ve noted some good things about some players. Very good things about some others. Not so good about some, but it’s normal. That level of football is not for everyone.”
Auvray said this is where local clubs must now take greater responsibility.
He believes clubs hold the players for most of the year and therefore play the biggest role in preparing them physically and mentally for national duty.
This includes improving conditioning programs, demanding higher training standards, and ensuring players are consistently exposed to a faster, more disciplined style of football.
Without this, he says, the national team will continue to struggle when faced with international pace and physicality.
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