THERE won't be any love lost between Wairarapa United and defending champions Miramar Rangers when they meet in Central League football fixtures during the 2012 season.
If it wasn't bad enough news for Miramar Rangers when it was announced last week that Wairarapa United had signed their gun goalkeeper PhilImray, they would have been stunned to learn yesterday two other stars of their premier squad, Tim Schaeffers and Darren Cheriton, are heading in the same direction.
Both Schaeffers and Cheriton have impressive backgrounds.
Schaeffers earned 20 caps with the New Zealand under-20s, including their World Cup tournament campaign in Canada in 2007, and has played twice for New Zealand A.
The 23-year-old, who mostly plays as fullback, is part of the Team Wellington side who are set for semifinal action in this year's national league.
Coach Phil Keinzley is confident Schaeffers will add impetus, rating him as a "strong tackler with a good turn of pace".
Cheriton, 33, is a midfielder who is also playing for Team Wellington. He repped for national age group sides to the under-23 division, usually in his favoured midfield role. A left-footer who has been a useful goal scorer at club and provincial level, Cheriton is seen by Keinzley as the type of "no-nonsense" player who will serve Wairarapa United well on attack and defence.
It is likely both Schaeffers and Cheriton will miss the first two Wairarapa United Central League games in 2012 because of their national league commitments, and goalkeeper Imray is in the same boat. The latter situation is especially worrying for Keinzley as they have no suitable back-up in the keeping role.
