Phil Keinzley will continue as coach of the Wairarapa United men's soccer team when they make their debut in the central league competition next season, with the one proviso.
His availability depends entirely on a coach also being found for the club's second side, which plays in the Capital third division series, and sooner rather than later.
Advertisements seeking coaches for the six age group sides and two senior teams which Wairarapa United hope to enter in outside competitions in 2009 have appeared in newspapers over the past couple of months and, remarkably, not one application has yet been received.
It's a situation which is "hugely disappointing" for Keinzley, who has been involved in coaching Wairarapa United teams since the club's inception some 14 years ago and currently also fills the role of president as well as major fund raiser.
"We're basically talking about 130 of the region's top players at their respective levels and no one is prepared to put their hands up to coach them & it's hugely disappointing to say the least," he said. "I know some people might think it is too early to be making decisions like that but when you have to work out what grants and sponsorship you are going to need that's not the case at all."
Keinzley admits he himself had mixed feelings as to whether he would again coach Wairarapa United's flagship side next season after taking them to both the Capital premier division title and central league status this year.
"Obviously the challenge of central league is exciting but when you also have a business to run you have to start looking at what your own priorities should be," he said "I'm now comfortable enough with carrying on but if we don't get a suitable coach for the seconds any time soon that's it, I'm out of there."
For Keinzley the seconds team is vital to the future of Wairarapa United as they are more or less a development squad mostly containing players with the promise to play for the club's premier line-up within the next season or two.
"We had two or three players take the step up last season and they did an excellent job for us, that's the sort of situation we need to create year after year," he said.
Keinzley anticipates next season's seconds team involving many of the Wairarapa United under-19 side which finished third an impressive third at their section at their 2008 national tournament in Napier.
"Anybody who has any desires to coach would have to be happy over the prospect of having that sort of talent available to them," he said.
"They'd have a flying start, that's for sure."
Keinzley said it was important, however, that whoever coached the seconds brought into the philosophy that development was the key word in their aims and objectives.
"Everybody likes to get good results I know but it's the development aspect which is the most important in this side, that's where the emphasis has to be," he said.
Meanwhile, it seems that apart from Rathkeale College student Anton Ross, who is heading to Otago University, there is now a good chance that all of those players who were part of the Wairarapa United squad which earned promotion to the central league will be available again for selection next season.
And Keinzley says the list of likely candidates has already been added to by the recent arrival in Wairarapa of three players capable of pressing hard for inclusion and also by inquiries made by a highly-regarded player from outside the local region who is "very interested" in joining up with them as well.
"We know just how demanding central league will be but right now there's no reason to expect us to be anything less than competitive," he said.
Keinzley will stay with one proviso
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