Fallon set for soccer move

Press, 30 September 1986, Page 32

Fallon set for soccer move

DAVID LEGGAT

Kevin Fallon, the New Zealand and Gisborne City soccer coach, will join the North Shore club today. After eight seasons at Gisborne, in which time he has lifted it from central league obscurity to one of the most respected clubs in the country, Mr Fallon’s move is expected to be confirmed at a meeting in Auckland today.

Mr Fallon will succeed the long-serving North Shore coach, Mr Don Jones, who has been in charge in all but one of the club’s 13 seasons in the national league. Mr Jones announced his intention to step down from the job earlier this year. Mr Jones will go out on a high note if North Shore can lift the Chatham Cup when it meets Mount Maunganui in the twolegged final, starting this week-end. North Shore will be the fourth club Mr Fallon has coached since he came to New Zealand in 1972. He played for Gisborne before injuries curtailed his career, and became its coach two years later. After being sacked that season over a player dispute, he moved to Nelson, which won the Chatham Cup in 1977 under his guidance. He joined Hamilton, briefly, in 1978, before again being axed, and the next season he started a highly successful liaison with his old club, Gisborne. In his time there, Gisborne won its first league title, in 1984, finished runner-up twice and was fourth twice, in addition to being the beaten Chatham Cup finalist in successive years.

One coach who might well be out of a job today is Jacques Vercauteren, who led Mount Wellington to its sixth league title on Sunday. Several candidates have applied for the position, including Mr Vercauteren.

The successful applicant might be announced today and it is widely understood that, despite his success this year, Mr Vercauteren could well miss out.

Meanwhile, Christchurch United’s sponsor of the last three years, Brother Distributors, Ltd, has decided not to renew its association with the club for 1387.

Although happy v/itii his firm’s involvement with the club, its managing director, Mr Graham Walshe, said it was time for the company to look at sponsorship in other fields.