Soccer: Struggling clubs sign up for another season

Rex Dawkins, chairman of Waitakere United Football club. Photo / Brett Phibbs

New Zealand Football Championship clubs are feeling the financial pinch but that has not deterred the eight incumbents from putting up their hands for another season.

There will be some tweaking but in most aspects it will be business as usual with one glaring shortfall.

Auckland City's great run at Fifa's Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi last December earned all clubs a welcome $100,000 cash injection, while handing them closer to a deserved $1 million windfall.

With Waitakere United failing to win last summer's O-League, that bonus will now be headed to Papua New Guinea.

"We are very disappointed at not winning the O-League and the impact it will have not just on our club but on the NZFC in general," said Waitakere chairman Rex Dawkins. "The major aim for all clubs must be to get a team back to the Club World Cup."

New Zealand Football operations manager Glyn Taylor said while the national body has pledged a minimum of $400,000 to help fund the NZFC over the next three years, the clubs face a hefty bill to be part of the competition.

"The NZFC incurs costs of around $800,000 a season, including the National Youth League, of which the clubs, through the $65,000 entry fee, contribute just over $500,000," said Taylor.

"We have been without a sponsor for the past couple of seasons but, given the current interest in our code, we are talking to a number of potential sponsors for the 2010-11 season."

Dawkins says clubs playing in the NZFC and O-League need to budget for expenses of $500,000 for a season.

"If it was not for ongoing support from our commercial sponsors and the trust money we do receive along with the income from a raffle which is supported by the majority of our member clubs, and our successful grassroots school holiday coaching programmes, we would not have been able to carry on," said Dawkins.

He confirmed that Waitakere were contemplating playing some games away from Fred Taylor Park next season, with the now floodlit Trusts Stadium a possibility, and a game at a North Harbour club.

Taylor said it was unlikely Waikato FC would play at Ngaruawahia's Centennial Park this season, with a couple of options in Hamilton being considered.

There is the possibility Hawkes Bay United will play away from Napier's Park Island with the new regional park in Hastings under consideration.

Canterbury United are set to break new ground with the planned refurbishment at English Park. The ground is to be redeveloped with an artificial surface being laid.

Taylor confirmed the NZFC will again be played over 14 rounds followed by play-offs. The draw should be confirmed late next month once the Oceania Football Confederation confirms their O-League draw. A scheduled mid-October start will give Auckland City and Waitakere United some added early-season conundrums.

NZF chief executive Michael Glading said the NZFC is a work in progress. "The onus is on New Zealand Football to improve the product. The review we undertook at the end of last year came up with a number of issues which need addressing. I'm ready to meet those challenges."

Plans to run a second league involving the Wellington Phoenix reserves are in their infancy.