Stormy meeting ahead for soccer rulers?

Press, 25 July 1986, Page 26

Stormy meeting ahead for soccer rulers?

By

DAVID LEGGAT

New Zealand Football Association councillors preparing for this weekend’s meeting in Auckland might well be advised to arm themselves with boxing gloves as well as briefcases in preparationfor, potentially, one of the stormiest meetings in. many years. It promises to be the sort of meeting where the N.Z.F.A. could erect public seating, charge admittance and come out with a handsome profit. Not only will the council be obliged’ to sort out the coaching structure for the immediate future, having got rid of the man at the top and effectively pushed his deputy a couple of rungs down the ladder, but it looks set for a confrontation with the clubs of the country’s premier domestic competition, the Rothmans League. In comparison, matters such as finalising details of another home-and-away series with New Zealand’s Trans-Tasman rival are certainly mundane. Of the two, the business with Football Promotions — the national league clubs’ body — is more important. No matter how impressive the work of Allan Jones, the national director of coaching whose contract was terminated this season, and his deputy, Doug Moore, coaches can always be replaced. Not so an entire nationwide competition, which, argue the clubs, will be the case if it does not receive satisfaction at the week-end meeting. Over the years, the relationship between the sport’s New Zealand rulers and the country’s top clubs has often been far from harmonious. The clubs have argued that they have too little say in how the competition, into which they plough thousands of dollars each year is run; the N.Z.F.A. takes the view that it must run the most important league under its jurisdiction. For 1987, the N.Z.F.A.

has stated the league, which has grown from eight to 10 to 12 teams since it began in 1970, will increase to 14 clubs. All clubs wanting to take part must apply by September 30 for a place, including the 12 in the present competition.

Football Promotions? will argue this week-end against the increase on two grounds. They maintain the addition of two teams will add further substantial weight to the financial burden the clubs already endure, and it will mean a 26-week league. With international fixtures — assuming the N.Z.F.A. has plans to provide overseas opposition for the national team — the six-month restriction on ground use for most teams who share facilities with summer sports, and the need to fit in Chatham Cup matches, the fattening of the league is not feasible. But the real axe the Football Promotions has to grind is the stringent criteria the N.Z.F.A. has laid down for clubs wishing to compete in 1987. The most significant points of the criteria are.—

• Clubs must have a permanently enclosed charge ground from March 1 until October 31, with access to a backup charge ground and a floodlit ground;

• Minimum seating for 500, with plans in motion to seat 1000 by 1989;

• An international sized pitch with a high quality surface, and restricted use;

• Professional assistance to ensure the standard remains high — in other words hire a groundsman; • Strong, fixed crowd barriers;

0 Clubs must show balance sheets for the last three years, show it can meet the costs of competing in the league, show a

budget for the year and disclose sponsorship details;

0 Clubs must be an organised structure, with senior and junior teams. All 12 clubs in the league at present could fulfill some of those requirements; none would meet them all, and certainly none will be prepared to release intimate details of its sponsorship. Football Promotions held a meeting last weekend and adopted a twopronged stance, according to its chairman, Mr Noel Robinson, the chairman of Landbase Papatoetoe. Mr Robinson is perfectly placed to assess any winds of change, his other hat being that of an N.Z.F.A. councillor, giving him a foot in both camps. The clubs totally rejected the criteria imposed by the N.Z.F.A., he said. It offered no indica'tions of the financial package the association has in mind.

“We are not in a position to enter the league without knowing details of the sponsorship,” said Mr Robinson. (Rothmans is pulling out of soccer involvement at the end of the season, and no successor has been announced.) "The clubs are unhappy at the general criteria. A commitment to the league is such that the facility criteria is going to be the end of the clubs. It’s enough of a battle to stay in the league without added capital development.”

Football Promotions also wanted to know what form the N.Z.F.A.’s feasibility studies took. Clubs were not consulted before details of the proposed rules for 1987 were revealed.

The second part of the clubs’ stance is their own set of alternative proposals for the league next year. Although unwilling to show their hand before tomorrow’s meeting, Mr Robinson clearly spelt out his thoughts. "If our proposals are accepted it will put us in a position where the national league can continue.”

Does this mean if they are not accepted the league will fold at the end of this season?

“There may not be a national league next year. The 12 clubs won’t enter as it stands,” warned Mr Robinson. “I’m convinved the path we (Football Promotions) are going down is the right way to go.”

The clubs also reject

the introduction of amalgamated clubs or clubs operating on a feeder system. Amalgamation to

produce a better team and club is "no problem,” said Mr Robinson. But the idea of amalgamating to produce one team with the sole aim of contesting the national league is “phony,” and smacks of a jack up, he added. The failure of the Masport Mount Wellington -Eastern Suburbs feeder method — whereby players could swap between the national league side and the northern league club — has been seen as unworkable. Mr Robinson cited the example of the Mount Wellington coach, Jack Vercauteren, wanting to drop three players to the “reserve” team for a Saturday game, then bringing them back for the national league match the next day, an operation involving post-dated transfer forms.

“Personally I feel the answer lies in a player loan situation. It makes good sense, particularly for younger players.” He envisages releasing players to clubs when not required for the national league club, but on call should the need arise to bolster a depleted squad.

Mr Robinson sees the meeting as a straightforward exchange of opinions and proposals. However, there will not be any deferment of the matter and football Promotions will not be deflected from its course. “Either we will be agreeing with the N.Z.F.A.; or we’re on a collision course.”

As for the coaching positions, the N.Z.F.A. will need to act boldly, and swiftly, to maintain the work of Messrs Jones and Moore. They have accepted positions with the Kuwaiti club, Al Jahra, starting on October 1. The pair worked together for five years on the N.Z.F.A., Mr Jones having been at the top of the coaching tree for seven years. When Mr Jones had his contract terminated, Mr Moore was the logical replacement. The N.Z.F.A., however, made no guarantee, so, concerned that by the end of this season, he would be out of work, Mr Moore took the opportunity to assist Mr Jones on a one-year arrangement.

Mr Jones might not have been New Zealand’s best national team coach in his two-year stint, but with Mr Moore he laid down a fine network throughout New Zealand. That good work must not be wasted.