NZ v Fiji called off by FIFA
My 2 cents.
There is so much hypocrisy and arbitrary line drawing around this debate it is almost pointless trying to rationalise it.
The only thing for certain is that this has done far more damage to NZ interests than it has to Fiji's and that can't possibly be the point of sanctions.
The only thing for certain is that this has done far more damage to NZ interests than it has to Fiji's and that can't possibly be the point of sanctions.
What Bainimarama is trying to do is good, we are only getting half of it from the media. I don't know why Winston Peters is so against him. As I said earlier, Bainimarama's rival is a racist, and I'm sure Peters wouldn't like that either.
What Bainimarama is trying to do is good, we are only getting half of it from the media. I don't know why Winston Peters is so against him. As I said earlier, Bainimarama's rival is a racist, and I'm sure Peters wouldn't like that either.
Politically, this is great for Bainimarama's domestic politics. He'll now stir up a whole lot of anti-NZ sentiment based on this - Fiji stands up against the bully NZers etc etc etc.
Are you listening Aunty Helen, you don't set the rules of an international game. What you said tonight was pathetic. I don't want to win a game where there is a question about the Fijian team being nobbled.
My 2 cents.
"We do not need more kebab makers!"
The collective shame we felt in Tauranga at the time...
FIFA play games with how many countries politics ?
How come Fifa didn't intervene when the Australian Govt stepped in 4 or 5 years ago? seems like double standards.
Everyone will have an opinion on the merits or otherwise. However what would (will?) be interesting is if the government applies the same yardstick for the world cup rugby. My understanding is a number of Fijian rugby players have at least as strong (?) a connection to the army so, if Bainimarama remains in power (not beyond the realms of possibilities) will the NZ government apply the same princiiples and exclude those from entering NZ and hence placing the Rugby World cup at risk?
There is so much hypocrisy and arbitrary line drawing around this debate it is almost pointless trying to rationalise it.
The only thing for certain is that this has done far more damage to NZ interests than it has to Fiji's and that can't possibly be the point of sanctions.
My 2 cents.
If FIFA hadn't brought the fiji game forward by one month only a few weeks out from the first game, then none of this would have happened. I am sure with the extra time this visa issue could have been sorted out. Especially if the NZ govt new that FIFA were going to not allow the game to go ahead.
Hopefully the game will be re-scheduled in a FIFA window next year. I don`t imagine FNZ would be happy to play the game at a neutral venue without their top players being available.FIFA have made a stand that the best players had to be available for Fiji. So this should also apply when the game is eventually played.
A good time to play it would be in the european and a league off season.So may june, july, next year.That time would be a problem for the mls players.
The other question i have is does the neutral venue have to be in Oceania? Come on Seatts whats the answer?
It wasn't meant to be a comparison. It was illustrating the point that this whole issue revolves around drawing arbitrary lines in the sand to achieve vague, unmeasurable political outcomes such as "putting pressure on Fiji".
So the question was what if France had decided to "put pressure on Fiji" by denying entry to anyone born in Fiji regardless of their current citizenship? Why would that have made any more or less sense than our Government's current position? And do you think our government would have supported France's right to do that and applauded them for also trying to put "pressure on Fiji". Like f**k they would have.
The only people feeling any real pressure in this situation are the NZ and Fijian football communities. So unless we seriously believe that the general population of Fiji are so pissed off about this issue that they are now going to rise up and overview their unelected government then the whole situation is a big f**king waste of time and an international embarassment to NZ.
If FIFA hadn't brought the fiji game forward by one month only a few weeks out from the first game, then none of this would have happened. I am sure with the extra time this visa issue could have been sorted out. Especially if the NZ govt new that FIFA were going to not allow the game to go ahead.
The govt has a policy, ok. So long as they are systematic in applying it, especially with the Sevens at Wellington,
we can't forget this!