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Fiji Time: 10:06 AM on Sunday 26 May

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Suva wants compensation

Manoj Kumar
Tuesday, March 19, 2013

SUVA football has had enough of playing away from home, especially the tiring and financially draining trips to the Western Division.

"We will only travel if there is a $1000 compensation per game from the Fiji FA," Suva FA president Mahen Prasad said yesterday.

"We are at a huge disadvantage," Prasad said.

"There is no crowd support, then the expenses are huge, especially the transportation and meal costs for every trip.

"On top of that when we get our gate shares, it's like $400, $500 and at times $600 which is too little. The only time we got a decent gate-share was the $1500 from the Labasa trip."

Suva, Rewa and Navua have been playing away from home because of the non-availability of the National Stadium and Ratu Cakobau Park.

Prasad claimed that he had written to Fiji FA regarding his association's decision.

"I have not received anything from Suva FA yet but I know and have stated numerous times that these teams, Suva, Rewa and Navua are at a huge disadvantage," Fiji FA vice-president and National League Board chairman Sheik Ibrahim revealed.

"These teams are suffering. That's one of the reasons why we have decided to give the Fiji Sun/GP Batteries-sponsored National Football League a two-week break," Ibrahim stated.

"By the time we come back, a round or two later Ratu Cakobau Park should be ready by the 15th of next month."

Suva's ANZ Stadium should be ready by late next month or early May.

"That will make it easier for Suva, Rewa and Navua to play in front of their home fans," Ibrahim said.

Despite the woes of playing away from home, the three teams are decently placed on the NFL points table. Suva is placed fourth, Rewa sixth and Navua seventh.

Sunday's postponement affected Suva badly.

The Whites were already on their way to Nadi to meet Nadroga at 1pm when the match was called off.

"We were in Sigatoka when we were told about the change, it was really disappointing," Prasad said.

Navua was to have played Nadi at 3pm and the Reds two-day camp (Friday and Saturday) was wasted.