Knights line up goals for new season

Simon Kozak is preparing a strategy to raise the Knights' profile and build a strong fan base. Picture / Richard Robinson

Selling soccer to a nation of rugby fans is a bit of a hard ask.

Add last season's abysmal on-field performance of bottom-of-the-table NZ Knights and it becomes even tougher.

After all, as the football saying goes, it's always easier to sing when you're winning.

The NZ Knights' new director of marketing, Simon Kozak, is big on singing at matches, though, and believes he can get Kiwis flexing their vocal chords in support of soccer.

The co-owner of JUST Marketing Partnerships is making it his business to build a fan culture here.

He is one of several new faces at the club, including manager Paul Nevin. The club is still looking for a new chief executive.

Englishman Kozak is a life-long supporter of Huddersfield Town, getting up at 4am to listen to matches live on the internet.

"I will tell you, they are the greatest football team ever."

Kozak, 44, squeezed in three matches on a recent 10-day trip to the United Kingdom, where he made his mark in marketing by helping Scotland with an image makeover in the late 1990s.

While he's not expecting many New Zealanders to reach his level of soccer fanaticism, he says people should not dwell on the Knights' playing past.

"Nobody at the club will defend last season's playing performance," he says.

For the Knights to be able to put last year behind them, they need to improve on-field performance and build a following.

Kozak aims to see Kiwis "actually adopt the Knights as their national professional league football team".

He wants to attract a minimum 6000 supporters at home games and also measures success on the club's community presence.

"Our mission isn't to make football bigger than rugby.

"Our mission is to make the NZ Knights represent all that is good about New Zealand football," he says.

As the team builds up to the start of the second Hyundai A-League season in August, Kozak is implementing his marketing, media and sponsorship plans.

He describes the campaign as similar to the type used by mainstream consumer brands to develop a long-term, sustainable fan base.

Among the initiatives are special privileges, such as dedicated seating and lounge access for season ticket holders. The atmosphere at games will be boosted by commissioned bands.

"If you can go to a game and the atmosphere's been great and you feel as if you've got value for money ... you feel fired up and want to come back and watch again," Kozak says.

"We have to give the fans something other than the game, the 90 minutes of football, to get engaged with."

Two community drives set to be launched in the next fortnight will help build the club's brand and recognise the players' duty as role models.

Football in the Community is a nationwide coaching programme, while Knights in the Community will tackle a social issue - which Kozak won't name until the launch.

The Knights' on-field action is out of Kozak's control but, like many people, his hopes are high for the season.

"We don't have to win every game - but we hope to."

KICKING OFF

* The NZ Knights had a terrible season in last year's inaugural Hyundai A-League.

* Out of 21 games, they had one win, three draws and 17 losses to finish last in the league.

* They have several new signings for this season, which kicks off in August, and are looking for a new chief executive.

* Football fan Simon Kozak has been appointed director of marketing.