Soccer: Bay Utd coach returns

HAWKE'S BAY United soccer coach Chris Greatholder will be back at the helm of the franchise team in the next round early next month.

"We're looking forward to having Chris back for the rest of the season," says Central Football chief executive officer John McGifford.

Central Football had to step in early this month to quash rumours Greatholder was quitting as coach of the Kinetic Electrical-sponsored Bay franchise team competing in the annual ASB Premiership in summer after their 2-1 defeat to Team Wellington in Napier late last month.

Franchise board member and chairman of football operations Bob Patterson had revealed the coach was taking a break from the beautiful game for between two to four weeks due to "personal reasons".

Bay United assistant coach and former All White Perry Cotton was at the helm, working with the amateur body's football operations manager, Brett Angell, and franchise team defender/captain Bill Robertson to ensure they maintained the standards Greatholder demands of his troops.

"While Chrissy was away Perry's done a great job," says McGifford.

Bay United beat Canterbury United 1-0 and drew with O-League high-flyers Waitakere United (2-2) and Auckland City (4-4) during the absence of 35-year-old Greatholder, a Napier bank manager.

The Bay, who are on fifth place in the premiership ladder in equal 11 points with Auckland and Canterbury, will be without the services of Robertson when the competition resumes after the Christmas holidays on January 12 against newcomers Wanderers Soccer Club in North Harbour after the centreback was sent off for picking up two yellow cards in the stalemate against Auckland City.

Greatholder created history last summer in helping the Bay franchise make its first playoffs in the national summer league's nine-year existence.

In other changes in the code, the Central Football headquarters is moving from its Onekawa base in industrial Napier to a yet-to-be-built premises at Park Island, Napier.

Central Football recently became the new administrators of Bay United.

"That means we'll be close to the action," says McGifford, adding Central Football's coaching and development staff will have access to the expansive grass facilities as well as other equipment stored at the Bluewater Napier City Rovers clubrooms.

The amateur body will lease the premises from the Napier City Council who will build the infrastructure not far from the Hawke's Bay Hockey Stadium.

"Hawke's Bay United will still use the Napier City Rovers' clubrooms for showers, changing and hospitality after their premiership games," says McGifford, emphasising the Rovers hold a three-year deal to continue using their premises.

In Central Football's regional advisory group meeting last month, the Graeme Hill proposal for a promotion-relegation type of winter league structure in the Bay failed to find traction.

Hill, who was included in all the meetings discussing the merits of his proposed module, left the meeting soon after it became clear his submission wasn't accepted.

"It didn't get the earplay it deserved in a robust process this year," McGifford says, adding the 11 clubs represented were unhappy with the no-player-movement aspect of the module from Central League to Pacific premiership.

"The clubs are happy with the current league and don't see a need to change it," he says although a meeting before next season may look at "gleaning from components of Magpies' [Hill's] proposal".