Those opportunities could prove invaluable for the current crop of young Fijian players, who are showing considerable promise not just at senior level but across the age-grades at international level.
It’s a feeling that Krishna shares, highlighting the better pathways available for promising players compared to when he broke onto the scene.
“I think during my time, there was less opportunity to go overseas. But now we have a lot of young boys, especially in the national team. Before there was really maybe one or two and now you can see a majority are in their 20s. I’m the only one over 30.”
“I think if they’re really focused on their life, if they want to play abroad, they need to go. You can see that not just in Fiji, Samoa is also one of the teams that have a lot of young players, so the future looks bright for football not just in Fiji but across Oceania.”
As well as a natural leader on the pitch, Krishna’s role as an OFC Ambassador gives him even further opportunity to help guide young players across the region and offer his experience as a way to help develop the next generation of football stars from the South Pacific.
“I think I just want to be that motivator you know, that if I can go this far, coming from a village barely wearing soccer boots, going all the way to Asia in India playing and making name for my country.”
“They just need to have the belief, so what I want to do in the Oceania region is talk to all the countries and say, look if I can do it, you can do it too. You just need to believe in yourself, have the right people guiding you, because in football you need these kind of people to humble you.
“You need these kind of people to really bring you down or to lift you, so that’s what we need at the moment, but I think you can see the future in Oceania is growing, especially with the young players.”
AGADIR, MOROCCO – DECEMBER 11: Roy Krishna of Auckland City breaks through the Raja defence to score and to make it 1-1 during the FIFA Club World Cup Play-Off match between Raja Casablanca and Auckland City at the Agadir Stadium on December 11, 2013 in Agadir, Morocco. (Photo by Julian Finney – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
There is perhaps one specific aim on the horizon for Krishna. Despite his talents having been on show in an OFC Men’s Nations Cup, OFC Men’s Champions Leagues, FIFA Club World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympic Games, the potential to represent his country at a FIFA World Cup™ would be what Krishna describes as “the dream.”
The expansion to 48 teams for the FIFA World Cup 26™ in Canada, Mexico and the United States including a guaranteed qualification spot for OFC, as well as an additional FIFA Intercontinental Playoff Tournament berth, means the opportunity has never been greater for Krishna and Fiji to grace the ultimate stage.
“That’s the dream, you know, every player wants to play there.
“If you know, we make it all the way, it will be good for me personally but more for the country, but it’s gonna be a tough task, so let’s see what the future holds for us.”
Despite the possibility of an historic FIFA World Cup™ appearance, Krishna’s focus returns to the future of football in the region and to those who will be wearing their national team shirt with pride in the years to come.
“I would say let the kids, especially the young ones, let them enjoy it to a certain age, and then you can push them, they need your support. You know, because normally when they’re young, when they’re seven, eight years old, we always think they could be a professional player – they have to play, play, play.”
“I think every every kid needs that, especially me when I was one of them. You know, I was lucky, lucky to have this from my parents, and have that guidance – so you need the support of the families.
“If you have the mindset to be a professional, then go for it. It’s only you who can do the work and have the courage to go for it.”
Source link : https://www.oceaniafootball.com/still-plenty-more-to-come-from-fiji-legend-roy-krishna/
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Publish date : 2024-07-23 20:38:45
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