I have lost faith in our football association. This was long before the current drama, which only cements my belief that there are a lot of egos at play and very little care about the state of football in this country. It wasn’t even after seeing the massive losses our senior and under-18 teams have suffered recently; even though on a personal level, it hurts.
No, the real reason I have no faith in the association as it currently stands is because it doesn’t seem like there are any plans. A cursory review of available media over the last few years, including the public minutes of the association’s congress, has shown very little of what we envision Brunei football to be. There is no vision, no goals (pun not intended) and nothing that the public can hold them to account. There seems to be a lack of any strategic targets beyond having our players play matches internationally and hope for the best.
There was some semblance of a plan when its president, whose current status seems to be in limbo, said that every team in the Brunei Super League should have their own ground. A commendable vision, but how will that be achieved? Is there a timeline? A framework for each club to establish a local fan base and encourage attendance?
I can stomach a 0-10 score line; even 0-11 might not be remotely intolerable if it was merely a stumbling block on a path forward. But I see no path. Where are we supposed to be in five years? Or 10 years? Japan has the audacity, the boldness and the courage to see where they need to be in 100 years. In terms of national football objectives, I’m not sure where we are supposed to be in the next 10 weeks.
The state of Brunei football is pitiful at the moment, and to some degree, that is understandable. We are a small nation, and the priority and resources we are spending on sporting in general can be considered somewhat lacklustre.
Sports can be a powerful unifier of hearts, minds and national pride, but it feels that there is more “pride” than hearts or minds in this current situation.
For the sake of Brunei football, every party needs to get their act together and do what is necessary, including officially stepping aside.
A Football Fan
