NOT every successful rugby player makes a successful coach. But even for those who don't their first-hand experience of having been there and having done that is a wealth of knowledge to players and they carry them through the rest of their careers.
This week we welcome into the Digicel Cup competition former Fiji centre three-quarter Viliame Satala and he joins a handful of former national reps now coaching top level rugby in Fiji.
It is a way of contributing back to the game their knowledge and to the nation and rugby public their 'thank you' for the investment they made in the past years.
Esala Nauga of Nadroga, former Wallabies Ilivasi Tabua and Acura Niuqila of Northland are former reps making their mark in the Digicel Cup.
Former Tailevu and Vatukoula coach Inoke Male now coaches the national side and so far has had an impressive season with the Fiji Warriors in the Pacific Rim Cup and won two and lost two matches for the national side.
Under his coaching Fiji beat Tonga and Japan but lost to Samoa and Scotland.
Lautoka coach Bulicokocoko has stepped down because of family commitments and also after three consecutive losses this year.
Having lived in Lautoka and played a couple of games for the Maroons, I understand the hardship faced by coaches in such situations.
Even former successful Lautoka coach Master Epeli Lagiloa admitted in one of his newspaper columns that he came across difficult times from rugby fans when the Maroons lost.
But that is Lautoka. When you are part of the rugby fraternity there you have to live with the fact that it is also vanua-based.
But sometimes the team is dominated by other players who work and live in the city who could forget that rugby is the pride of not only the clubs in the city but of the villagers out there in the cane belt.
Lautoka fans can also be outspoken in voicing their opinions.
There's this ongoing friction because it's both vanua and city-based and which coaches and officials have to rein in to one working team and sometimes it is a hurdle. When the team is doing well there's no problem but when the team loses continually the fans are not going to tolerate the losses.
The team has clubs from surrounding vanua of Vuda, Vitogo and Namoli. But when the vanua and city-based teams and officials hit off a right chord Lautoka soars and often it is through the initiatives of the men of God who serve in the area.
Lautoka has proven time and again that on their day they will beat any team in the country.
In 1979 they shocked the country when they wrested the Farebrother-Sullivan trophy from Nadroga beating them 6-4 at the old Lawaqa park.
It was through a Samu Yalayala try that ended Nadroga's nine-year unbeaten reign.
Over the years they have risen to the top through the coaching of the likes of Jope Naucabalavu Junior, Dr Petero Qauqau, Master Epeli Lagiloa to name a few.
Because of their mixed results over the years they have also been branded as an unpredictable side.
They can be at the bottom of the pile but come off with big wins against the top teams, which proves the fact that the depth of talent is there but finding the right combination and oneness is the puzzle.
But with Satala now the new Maroons coach undoubtedly he has the support of both the vanua and the general rugby public of Lautoka.
The Digicel Cup competition is still wide open and there's still a chance of Lautoka making it to the top four.
Lautoka's coaching problem could be solved by giving the coach a three-year term instead of one year.
Back in 2003 as secretary of Nadroga Rugby Union I was asked by the committee led by then president, the Kalevu, Ratu Sakiusa Makutu, to prepare a constitution.
We managed to modify, improvise and cut and paste from the existing FRU constitution to produce Nadroga's first constitution and one of the changes we made was the term for the coaches and team officials.
Coaches are selected for three-year terms and can be re-elected again and again depending on their performance and availability. Previously, Nadroga had a change of coach every year and every coach had his own brand of rugby and favourite players to play their style.
Three years is enough time for coaches to develop their combination and winning style and you do not expect to reap instant rewards with one-year instant coaches.
That only happens with instant coffee.
Lautoka is one of the only major unions that has enough available playing grounds at Churchill Park and Nadovu Park and Churchill Park main ground is of international standard.
Their continual loss in the beginning of the year was quite puzzling to Lautoka rugby followers being voted by the public as the top provincial sevens team in the sevens season.
We can understand the difficulties faced by people of Lautoka and Nadi during the floods in January and March and if their teams are not doing well it is understandable
Satala will be assisted by veteran coach Vuata Naresia and the duo kick-off their campaign with a full strength side with the return of national reps Iliesa Salusalu, Apakuki Vuaviri, Metuisela Talebula, Watisoni Votu and Kelemedi Bola.
They host Tavua at Churchill Park and big lock Ifereimi Rawaqa is back in the side after playing in Japan and we look forward to an explosive match at Churchill Park on Saturday.
Tailevu hosts Rewa and the competition leaders' biggest mistake would be to underestimate lowly-rated Rewa, who are fighting for survival. The old Fijian saying is that the shark will only bite when it is cornered. 'Leqa na qio qai kata'.
They have a first class coach and the players to rise to the occasion at Ratu Cakobau park.
Nadi is another traditional team trying to find their footing in the Digicel Cup and face Nadroga at Lawaqa park.
Northland faces Macuata at Subrail Park and Ovalau faces Vatukoula at Theodore Park and Naitasiri takes on Suva at Albert Park.
While all matches this week are quite crucial to their future in the competition all attention would be at Churchill Park in Lautoka's match against Tavua.
As former Fiji halfback Isimeli Batibasaga said, in an interview early this year, teamwork is only possible inside the ground if there's a team spirit outside before the game, in camp and among the individual players.
That is the key to winning, he said.