Planet Swans ArchivesLet’s get the bad news out of the way first. It’s been seven months since the Kingz last kicked a ball and it will be at least another nine before they play again.
The Australian Soccer Association is revamping the NSL with the stated aim of improving standards. But these long, drawn-out delays are having the opposite effect in the short term.
It’s criminal that players in the twilight of their careers such as Danny Hay are spending 16 months out of professional football.
There had been talk of a two-month preliminary competition early next year but, after delays in naming the eight teams which will comprise the new-look league, that’s now not happening.
Now for the good news.
Despite a frustrating lack of on-field action, the Kingz look to be making significant progress off the pitch.
The club made several major announcements this week, including the appointment as chairman of Anthony Lee, who is also buying a 20 per cent share of the club.
Lee looks the kind of guy any football club would kill for – a self-made man with business nous who’s loaded and loves his football. Brilliant. Welcome aboard.
British-based businessman Brian Katzen has taken up his controlling interest with a 60 per cent share. Club founder Chris Turner (10 per cent), Sky TV (5 per cent) and New Zealand Soccer (5 per cent) make up the difference.
The club is now assembling a board. It’s looking for another three to six people to join current board members Lee, Katzen, Turner and New Zealand Soccer representative Ian Wells.
The Kingz have also confirmed North Harbour Stadium as their new home. Great. It’s the best stadium in Auckland to watch football and fans won’t have many happy memories of three dire seasons at Ericsson Stadium.
And the club is toying with the idea of ditching the Kingz and coming up with some new name.
For what it’s worth, I think the Kingz could maybe get rid of that silly “z” foisted on them by some Sydney basketball tossers but should otherwise stick with the brand.
Success is all the more satisfying when achieved from an almost hopeless situation.
This progress means fans can look forward with a confidence that was impossible to muster a year ago, especially when watching what’s happening half a world away at Swansea City – Katzen’s other football team.
The Welsh club playing in the English third division (or league two, as it’s known this week) were in a similar predicament to the Kingz a couple of years ago – seriously in debt and struggling on the pitch.
In January 2002, Katzen was part of a consortium that came to Swansea’s rescue.
There was no instant turnaround. The Swans only avoided relegation to non-league football on the last day of the 2002-03 season, surviving by a single point.
In 2003-04, Swansea climbed to 10th and reached the last 16 of the FA Cup, their best cup run for 24 years.
But that wasn’t good enough to keep Brian Flynn in the manager’s job and he left in March after the club slid out of playoff contention.
New manager Kenny Jackett signed a new goalkeeper and defenders and 10 games into the 2004-05 season, Swansea are one point off the lead with the best defensive record in the Football League, with just five goals conceded.
The Swans are considered a good bet to at least make the playoffs this season.
Kingz fans are hoping Katzen can pull off a similar stunt Down Under.
SOURCE: STUFF.CO.NZ
