Soccer: Discontent robs NZS of another stalwart

Sam Malcolmson played for New Zealand 37 times.

A disillusioned Sam Malcolmson has quit the New Zealand Soccer board, joining a growing list of those who have turned their back on the game at the highest level.

In recent times chief executive Bill MacGowan, marketing/sponsorship manager Hamish Miller and operations manager Alex Hayton have resigned.

Malcolmson, a former international with 37 games for the All Whites and a coach at national league level, joined the board for a second stint a year ago.

It soon became a period of frustration.

"I did not realise it was a board of governance where the management was done by the chief executive," he said yesterday.

"In earlier involvements on boards I felt I was able to contribute and make things happen. Initially I worked under Bill MacGowan and while he had his critics, he knew how to work the board.

"Like him or loathe him, he did the best for the game. He ran soccer with the express purpose of keeping it in the black. His heart was in it.

"I feel with the new chief executive, Graham Seatter, that understanding has gone."

Malcolmson's concerns grew when MacGowan resigned and applications for his replacement were called.

"I understand there were 14 to 15 applicants and we [the board] were told we would see a short-list of six or seven candidates. It didn't happen. It got down to the last three, which included Seatter and Alex Hayton, before we were told.

"A sub-committee of [chairman] John Morris, Mark Burgess and Kristin Bowman made the final recommendation. I would have thought as soccer people close to the game, either I or [former All White] Fred de Jong might have been involved.

"Certainly, there was something from [board member] Kevin Roberts at that time which spoke glowingly of Graham Seatter.

"He may well have been the best candidate but it was not until I read it in the newspaper did I become aware people like Earle Thomas, a former chief executive of Spalding Australia, and Paul Cameron, who is heading Sport Wellington, were in the frame."

Malcolmson's frustrations continued when the decision, made by a sub-committee comprising MacGowan, de Jong, Oceania player of the century Wynton Rufer, NZS director of football Paul Smalley and himself, not to send the national under-20 side to the Oceania champs was reversed after Morris had consulted the board.

"We told the board that the team was not well enough prepared to play at the tournament and it would be unfair in the conditions to send them. That decision was reversed and probably cost the under-17 team, on financial grounds, their chance to play in New Caledonia," said Malcolmson, who had his hand slapped for speaking out on the issue.

His exit has opened the way for fellow 1982 World Cup All White Frank van Hattum to join the board. He will likely go head-to-head with Central United chairman Ivan Vuksich for the North Island spot on the eight-person board next week.