United unfazed at late starters

Wairarapa United coach Phil Keinzley isn't losing any sleep over the prospect of the majority of his squad not being available for training until just a few days before the 2012 central league football competition actually gets under way.

As many as seven Wairarapa United players won't be released from their national league clubs until after April 7 and with the central league set to start on April 14, there will be scant opportunity to settle on combinations before then.

"Obviously it's not ideal but there's nothing we can do to change things so why worry," Keinzley said. "And at least those guys won't be short on match fitness, will they?"

Adam Cowan, skipper of last year's Wairarapa United Chatham Cup-winning side, along with Dale Higham are part of the Hawke's Bay side pushing hard for a semifinal spot in the national league while Seule Soromon, Nathan Cooksley, Nobuyishi Ishi, Matt Borren and Pablo Moya play for Manawatu, who are currently at the wrong end of the points table.

Another late starter for Wairarapa United is likely to be Adam Milne, the young Central Stags pace bowler whose cricketing commitments could run into April as well.

Even without many of his stars Keinzley has been delighted with the numbers who have been turning up for early-season training sessions and while most of them will probably end up as part of the Wairarapa United seconds squad, some had already shown enough to suggest they could cope at a higher level.

Just where Wairarapa United will play their central league home games in 2012 is still to be finalised. The lack of a changing room for referees has meant that the first-choice venue, Carrington Park in Carterton, is no longer a possibility and Howard Booth Park, also in Carterton, is now the favoured option.

However, the Carterton club, who have their headquarters there, must agree.

Frustrated as he is with still not having confirmed a home venue, Keinzley is at pains to lay no blame on the Carterton District Council, saying the support from Mayor Ron Marks, councillors Elaine Brazendale and John Booth and parks and reserves manager Brian McWilliam could not be faulted.

"They have gone out of their way to help us out and I am certain that come next season we will have a facility in Carterton which is right up to the best standards," he said.