Soccer: 'Animals' slur from Australian coach angers Fijians

The Fijian soccer coach, Billy Singh, has claimed that his Australian counterpart, Frank Farina, had effectively compared his players to animals.

"No matter how good they are, they should show some respect... he [Farina] is sitting on the top of the world talking down to us," Singh said.

"He's comparing us to animals and the players are upset."

He was refering to comments made by Farina, who said earlier in the week: "I picked the squad, including the overseas players, with the Fiji game in mind. Fiji will be kicking, punching and brawling to get a draw."

Farina was defending his selection of overseas-based players for the group, where Australia have set successive World Cup record scores in beating Tonga 22-0 and then thrashing American Samoa 31-0 on Wednesday.

Australia and Fiji, the only two unbeaten sides in the World Cup Oceania zone group one, meet in a qualifier tomorrow.

In response to Singh's comments, Farina said: "Who cares? I am expecting a very difficult game and a very physical one. The main thing will be that we do not retaliate and we hope that the referee steps in before anything starts."

A defeat to Fiji in the group one qualifiers would probably cost Australia the chance to play the group two winner in a two-leg Oceania play-off in June.

The winner of that would then face a further two-legged play-off against the fifth-placed South American team for a place in the 2002 finals.

In the last round of matches in the Oceania zone group one, to be played on Monday, Australia take on Samoa and Tonga play Fiji.

Fifa have confirmed that individual confederations will continue to organise their own qualifying tournaments despite Australia's record win.

"It is up to each confederation to choose how they want to organise their World Cup qualifying competitions, it is not Fifa's responsibility to tell them how to do it," said Keith Cooper, the Fifa director of communications.

- INDEPENDENT