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| Left to Right: Henry Dyer (Nadi Legends Club), Semi Tabaiwalu, and Kieran James (University of Fiji) @ Ba Town, 20 June 2015. |
Saturday, 20 June 2015 @ Ba River
and Ba Central Club
By: Henry Dyer (Nadi Legends Club)
and Kieran James (University of Fiji)
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| Henry Dyer and Semi Tabaiwalu, 17 June 2015 |
Henry
Dyer: How did you start soccer?
Semi
Tabaiwalu: I started in the primary-school.
Henry:
In what year?
Semi:
In the 1960s, around 1966 perhaps. I left the primary-school and then I jumped
to the club team in adult competition. The soccer club was Soweri Soccer Club.
In 1973 I played for Ba Soccer District.
Henry:
How old were you then?
Semi:
Around 18-years-old in 1973.
Henry:
How did you get into Ba Soccer?
Semi:
Sashi Mahendra Singh brought me into the Ba team. He was happy with the way I
played in the back-line in the club competition.
Henry:
He saw the potential.
Henry:
Who got into the team at that time?
Semi:
Jone Nakosia and I were the youngest players selected into the squad. He passed
away.
Henry:
Who was in the Ba team at this time?
Semi:
Esala Masi Senior; Waisea Naicovu; Ratubaka; Josateki Kurivitu; Bobby Shahadat;
Vimlesh Singh; Mitieli Turaganikeli; Semi Nagata; Ramend Arjun; Tualip, Noa,
Livai, Sami, and Nemani Waka (who played for Nadi and Nadroga and then came to
play for Ba).
Kieran
James: When did Meli Vuilabasa, Inia Bola, and Bale Raniga start playing?
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| Semi and Henry at Ba Soccer section, Ba Museum |
Semi:
Yes, Bale came in after Inia. Bale arrived in 1979. The others arrived in
1975-1976.
KJ:
How many winning IDC teams did you play in?
Semi:
Six-in-a-row.
Henry:
With Joe?
Semi:
Joe Tubuna started in 1976. We first won in Labasa in 1975. After that Tubuna
played in 1976 and he must have played in five winning IDCs.
Henry:
Who are some of the players from the six IDC wins who are still alive?
Semi:
Kini Mocelutu, Vimlesh Singh, Bobby Shahadat, and I are still around and
Mitieli Turaganikeli and Bale Raniga are now living in Australia.
Henry:
What was the best year that you still remember?
Semi:
When I scored the winning goal against Nadi, 1980. That year I was drunk. I
scored the goal in the final in the IDC in Ba, 1980.
Henry
[translating Semi’s words from the Nadroga dialect into English]: He says that
after he scored the goal Save [Savenaca Waqa, Nadi goalkeeper] found out that
he was still tipsy from the morning of the game.
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| Interview @ Ba River, 20 June 2015 |
Henry:
You see how these fellows make use of us? We are the true teabags which are
picked up and then when we are no use they throw us out. Did you get your
wages?
Semi:
They gave me the wages. S.M. Singh did not know when I left camp. He gave out
the orders to get me wherever I was in Ba and bring me back to the camp at any
costs. He did not know about the problem with the president, Mr. Vinod Patel,
about the wages.
KJ:
How did you score the goal?
Semi:
From the cross-ball from Meli Vuilabasa coming from the right-flank. The kick
came from the Xavier side and I scored at the town side (where the scoreboard
is).
KJ:
Do you remember the 1982 IDC Final versus Nadi in Nadi?
Semi:
It was a tied game, yes?
Henry:
Yes.
Henry:
Joe Tubuna got injured and was replaced.
KJ:
Did you score with your kick?
Semi:
Yes, I scored.
KJ:
What did you think of having the final replayed in Lautoka?
Semi:
We won by default.
Henry:
Do you know why you won by default?
Semi:
Yes, what? [Semi cups his ear pretending not to be able to hear clearly.]
[All
laugh.]
Semi:
They were afraid to turn up!
Henry:
Did the officials tell you to turn up and play? What is your answer?
Semi:
Yes, because we wanted the trophy back. [KJ Note: Suva won in 1981 to end Ba’s
six-in-a-row streak which started in 1975.] It belonged to us. We thought if
Nadi don’t turn up it’s their problem.
Henry:
Do you know there was an agreement between the officials not to play the game?
Henry:
No, the Ba players did not know about it. It was an agreement between Sri V.
Chetty [Nadi President] and Vinod Patel [Ba President] not to turn up.
Henry:
During that match did you find that game tiring and difficult?
Semi:
Yes, it was a tight game.
KJ:
What players from the Nadi team did you respect the most?
Semi:
Manu Pokar, Mani Naicker, Joe Lutumailagi, Marika Vuniyawayawa, Rasool, and
Varo (elder brother of Savenaca Waqa).
KJ:
How about from the 1982 Nadi team?
Semi:
Savenaca Waqa, Rusiate Waqa, Henry Dyer, Inosi Tora, Sosiceni Kaitani, Tela
Qoro, Savenaca Taga, Lepa Toro, and Bacardi (Emasi Koroi).
Henry:
Which team did you respect most in the 1982 IDC?
Semi:
Only Nadi.
KJ:
Who was the best team that year, Ba or Nadi?
Semi:
Ba.
[All
laugh.]
KJ:
Meli said they were the same.
Henry:
Who was the best goalkeeper – Bale Raniga or Savenaca Waqa?
Semi:
Of those there was no difference between them. They were the class goalkeepers
of Fiji then and way ahead of the others. Bale can yell from a large distance.
The difference between Bale and Save was that Bale was always talking from the
back and he awoke the defence. Save had the skills too but he would only wake
up when the attack was at its final stages.
KJ:
How do you view the late Jone Nakosia as a stopper-back?
Semi:
When the late Jone Nakosia was behind us in defence we felt secure. Just the
presence of him and Bale behind us made us feel secure.
Henry:
What was one of Jone’s main tactical plays from defence?
Semi:
Jone used to set play up from behind and on a 50-50 ball you would have to be
careful as he could hurt you. He was massive; he was a big guy. The forwards of
the opponents were afraid of coming close to Jone. This was one of the big
advantages for the defence. When there was a penalty awarded we never forgot
that we would place the ball on the spot and he would yell “that is my kick”
and run from the back and slam it in. He was a very powerful kicker. Sometimes
the goalie would yell out and say “Jone, just kick it slowly” (in Hindi). The
goalkeepers would yell this as they knew that this is what the Ba team does.
Semi:
He was a reliable defender. He had the skills to overlap and to be the extra
attacker.
Henry:
Who was the centre-back?
Semi:
I played centre-back.
Henry:
Can you say some of the things that made the team click when you were the
centre-back?
Semi:
The combination of the backs, the midfielders, and me in the centre-back made
the core of the Ba team successful in attack and in defence.
KJ:
Similar to Alvin Singh today?
Semi:
Yes, he is the type of player we want.
Henry:
Who were the strikers then?
Semi:
Akuila Rova was there; he had just left Xavier School. He started after Inia
Bola in the team. Inia came in first then Akuila Rova left (for the USA). Inia
Bola was the Number One striker.
Henry:
So the Ba team was very fortunate to have a talented combination then and
mostly locals?
Semi:
The talent was impressive because when someone left there was someone there to
replace him.
Semi:
Yes, I agree.
Henry:
Going back to 1985, when you had the car accident when you guys went to Tavua
for a dance, on your way back you were in the back?
Semi:
Yes, I was in the back with one police officer. His name was Tora.
Henry:
Where was he from?
Semi:
Tavualevu Village. He was stationed at Ba Police Station.
Henry:
Was he drinking with you at the dance?
Semi:
Yes, and he wanted a lift back with us.
Henry:
On your way back from Tavua that night what happened?
Semi:
Our manager was the Ba Hotel owner Ram Padarath Junior. After the drive he
advised the three of us to stop back at the Tavua Hotel. Joe and I said: “No,
we will go back to Ba”.
Semi:
There is a shop at the Varavu Stretch. There is a tramline there. The driver of
this cane-truck parked to buy cigarettes. He did not put his park-lights on.
Before the driver got back in to start the truck he heard the sound of the
utility van (with tarpaulin in the back) slamming into the tray of the
cane-truck.
Henry:
Then what happened at the accident?
Semi:
I was conscious but I could not move for a long time. Finally I was able to get
up.
[Semi:
Here is the place on Ba River where we used to drink when we won. All the Nadi
team would sit here.
Semi:
Did you drink?
Henry:
Yes, I drank.
Semi:
See, these people head the ball too much!]
Semi:
When I was getting myself together then the next vehicle arrive full of my Ba
mates. The Ba mates took me (only Semi) to Nailaga Hospital at Nailaga Village
(just coming out of Ba towards Lautoka). I told the people in the vehicle to
check out Inia and Joe. Inia was taken to Lautoka Hospital.
KJ:
What happened after that?
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| Ba River, location for interview |
Henry:
The funeral was a few days after the accident. We came and buried Joe at Soweri
Village Cemetery.
Semi:
When you [Henry and James] went up to see Inia [Tuesday 17 June 2015] there
was a shop. The cemetery is up behind the shop.
Henry:
When we buried Joe at the funeral I can remember that the Fiji squad that went
to the South Pacific Games buried Joe, we were the pallbearers. I remember
Joe’s father from Naitasari (but was living in Lautoka) was crying his heart
out. He was saying: “Joe, my idol; Joe, my boy; Joe, you made me feel proud”.
Semi:
When I was in hospital Joe’s father came in to visit me and Inia.
Henry
[translating Semi’s words from the Nadroga dialect into English]: He thanked
them [Inia and Semi] for bringing up Joe in the Ba team. He said that without
them Joe’s latent talent would not have been able to shine to the fullest. In
other words, they were the core of the Ba team. Inia and Semi and the players
ahead of them (the older ones) were a family by blood so these boys saw the
potential in Joe and they made it happen for Joe to shine. This is what Joe’s
father was trying to thank them for. He said to them: “Joe has gone his way, he
has taken the lead. I plead to you two to look after your lives as there is a
lot to come ahead of you”.
Henry:
You have to recommend me as a reporter!
Semi:
The Indians always pay my fare to go to New Zealand every year to coach the Ba
team in the IDC there. Even my son is in NZ now. For eight years he has lived in
NZ. Here in Ba the Indian people are soccer crazy.
Henry:
It’s true.
Semi:
Not like the Ba team now, they buy their own beers. In our time no, it was not
like that. We would be sitting here at Ba River and 12 cartons would come and
we do not know where they come from. In fact often it would be more than 12
cartons plus some hot stuff.
Henry:
How do you bring that spirit back? [Pause] ... Semi, I think if the old guys
from your time, from the 1980s to 1990s, were in the Ba management you would
bring back the spirit. That is what I can see; you guys can do it, just by
sitting around the ground; just by your appearance. If one of you took up as
coach then - wow. First you get there. After that everything is: Ba Toh Ba Hai. I hope that that will
happen. It is for the love of soccer. We should give something back to soccer.
The officials should think of a way to give the former players a chance to have
a say with the structure of the game.
Semi:
From 2007-2010 (four years) I was coach of Ba team and I scooped all the titles
[KJ note: Ba won the Fiji FACT in 2007 and 2010, BOG each year from 2007-2009,
IDC in 2007, and the national league title in 2008 and 2010.].
Henry:
So that would have been one of your best soccer achievements in management.
Henry:
Why did you pull out of Ba Soccer as a coach?
Semi:
Because of the management.
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| Semi and Henry with Semi's son Apenisa Lanivia (centre) |
Semi:
Yes, they said my term is over. I knew already because every time I go against
them I always talk straight to them about how things should go.
Henry:
Who was the manager then?
Semi:
David. I set the team during my time. Now the president sets the team. I said
to the president: “What I want you must give to me”. Now the president sets the
team not the coach. The only way they can run it that way is to replace the
coach. When they asked me to come back (after my four years were over) I asked
for more money. They rang me up before the Oceania Cup semi-final involving Ba
in Suva. I said: “Only if a new president arrives will I come”. Now 4R
Electrical has complete control over Ba Football. Rishi Kumar is the owner of
4R and the president of Ba. If Ba Football Association runs Ba again all of the
business houses will come back to support. .. I wanted one thousand dollars
upfront first to coach for the rest of the Oceania Champions League tournament.
If I had received that I would have started talking.
Henry:
They took the offer too lightly. He [Semi] was giving them a cheap deal for him
to come to coach Ba but they were not able to read it.
Henry:
Today I see our old friends from those days. It’s not like before. They just
treat us like another person in the village, street, town, or park. But before
that was not the case. You either make it or you sit back and talk about what
should have been done.
Semi:
Because us Fijian boys we are very good at heart. We work straight, we talk
straight; we don’t know all these things about the economic and monetary side
of playing dirty. This always enabled the Indians to run the show and we let
them run the show. A good example is about our former friend and player George
Koi. He was the first Fijian (apart from the Indians) to become a
Vice-President of Fiji Football. This may have been in the late-1990s to the
2000s, I cannot remember exactly. In his first year he started to find about
how Fiji Football was working. He found out certain detailed facts about the
Association and they were worried about this guy. He was removed after three
months in office [check this].
KJ:
Why do we see so few indigenous Fijians at district games these days?
Semi:
That is true.
Henry:
Why?
Semi:
Because the soccer standard is finished. They say: “We do not enjoy watching
soccer anymore because it is not like in your guys’ time”. Fijians and Indians
are all saying this. Everybody is always saying this.
Henry:
Why do you think people are saying this now?
Semi:
The officials of soccer today are mostly in their positions for mileage or for
their promotion. In the modern world that is bound to happen. But they have
forgotten about what used to happen in our time when we mingled with the
community and the grassroots level. And this community interaction boosted our
performance.
Henry:
That is the truth, man, I can feel it.
Henry:
What year did you first play for Fiji?
Semi:
1975, the first World Cup qualifiers played in Fiji, versus Taiwan and
Australia at Govind Park. Those were the playoffs.
KJ:
Did you play against other teams?
Semi:
Mexico in Suva and three games against NZ; we beat them in Suva first and then
Noumea. We drew in Nadi. In 1977 Ba played against NZ Kiwis, two tests in
Auckland. The first game was drawn; the second we lost 1-0. In 1978 Ba played
two more tests in Auckland. The first was drawn 1-1 and the second was won by
NZ 3-0.
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| At Ba Bus Terminal, 20 June 2015 |
Henry:
Do you regret anything from your time in soccer? Do you think you could have
achieved anything else?
Semi: I had plenty of offers from overseas but
I did not want to go. I wanted to play for Ba for all of my life. I felt good
staying at home.
Henry:
Do you regret not going?
Semi:
No, I’m happy here at home in Ba. I did whatever was supposed to be done to
gain achievements for my family and I sent my son overseas to play football and
to make a future. Everything is OK for me at home looking after my grandchildren.
I have been overseas and seen the life there; it is not like here at home. When
I go to New Zealand the Fiji Indians say: “Stay back, we will give you
everything” but I say: “No, I have to go back, life in Fiji is good”. I always
tell them in NZ, James: “If you are still in Fiji you will still survive. If
you can’t eat you can go to visit another house”. Cheetah married my sister.
They are in Australia now. They always tell me to stay. In Fiji you can go here
and there to eat and take grog. If I go to a Nadi village I can walk around
there and sleep there. My life is here. When you go overseas you can’t just go
and eat at any place. I say: “No, I have done my part; you go”.
Henry:
What player did you respect most in your playing time?
Semi:
Suva, Nadi, Ba, Lautoka and Labasa, I respected all those teams.
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| At Central Club, Ba, 20 June 2015 |
Semi:
I respected most Aisea Mocelutu; he was a classic, cool, and sensible striker.
KJ:
What is your comment about Henry Dyer?
Semi:
He was the best link, inside player but a dirty and rugged player. He was a
sensible player. At SPG in Samoa, we had Rudi Gutendorf as the coach. Only two
players had to be selected as striker and inside-striker. In that team Rudi
called on me, Abdul Manaan, Savenaca Waqa, and Bale Raniga to discuss which of
the two players should be dropped – Henry or Robin Simmons from Labasa. We had
a meeting. Inia Bola was already in the team. Henry got the nod. This was for
the final squad of 18. Rudi said to us: “You people are experienced players;
who should be dropped from the team out of these two?” We decided to keep Henry
because he is rugged and experienced and can distribute the ball properly and
can control the game.
Henry:
You can see from this decision that the Ba and Nadi players were very close on
and off the field.
Semi:
Yesterday I was driving past Nakavu Village; I stopped to put in petrol, and I
told my wife and grandchildren: “This is Henry Dyer’s village. I used to live
here; this was my area before”. I used to tell my grandchildren: “Your grandma
used to get wild because I would spend a lot of time here in my playing days”;
we would be caring for each other.
Semi:
When I came back from NZ in 1977, Bobby Tikaram invited me to join Nadi. It was
in the Fiji Sun. S.M. Singh, the Ba coach,
rang me up and said: “If you go to Nadi I will ban you for life”. Everyone in
Ba got shocked by the Fiji Sun
article which said: “Semi Tabaiwalu is transferring to Nadi”. Bobby from Nadi
offered to look for a job for me at the airport. Ba Soccer would not release
me.
Henry:
You know why James? Because from what I see of Bobby Tikaram he can read and
foresee a talented player. That is why he picked Semi and offered him a job
even though he [Bobby] was just working at the airport. In his heart Bobby felt
that this guy could fill a post in the Nadi team and make Nadi a winning
combination. Semi would have been a very valuable rookie for Nadi. S.M. Singh
would never release him. During his playing days, when he was with the Nadi
players, he would spend time in the villages.
KJ:
Did you know Boy Reddy?
Semi:
I know him but I did not play with him as he was ahead of me. He was a former
great for Nadi.
Semi:
You know you Nadi guys have a lot of power from the ancestral gods. But don’t
put it.
Henry:
Yes, put it, James, this is the truth; the real life.
*******************
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| Semi Tabaiwalu (first on left) and Henry Dyer (third from left) offer a drink of Fiji Gold to the barman @ Central Club, Ba, 20 June 2015 |
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| The Central Club barman accepts the drink of Fiji Gold offered to him by Semi Tabaiwalu and Henry Dyer @ Central Club, Ba, 20 June 2015 |
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