Soccer: Krishna starts trials with North Queensland Fury

New Zealand Football Championship player of the year and Fijian international Roy Krishna begins trials with A-League newcomer Townsville-based North Queensland Fury tonight.

Krishna, 21, flies out of Auckland this morning and will play part of tonight's game against Rockhampton and a full game against fellow A-League club Central Coast mariners on Sunday.

The striker, who scored hat-tricks in league and Chatham Cup matches for Waitakere City in the Queen's Birthday weekend double-header, has spent time at the Wellington Phoenix but without being offered a contract, is being considered by the Queensland club as one of their "visa" players.

Waitakere United chairman Rex Dawkins, who arranged the trial for Krishna, said he had enjoyed his time with the Phoenix but with that door apparently closed he was looking forward to this opportunity. "The Fury have said they will give Roy an indication by early next week whether they are interested in signing him," he said.

Meanwhile, New Zealand have retained their two spots in a revamped O-League but will again play in the same group.

An Oceania Football Confederation meeting in the Bahamas yesterday agreed the league should increase from six to eight teams. Waitakere United and Auckland City, will play in a tough group A with the champion teams from New Caledonia and Tahiti.

Fiji, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu will play in group B for the 2009-10 O-League. The format for future competitions will be decided at an OFC executive meeting in November. The OFC confirmed a profit of $1 million for the 2008 financial year.