Soccer: A far from regal season for the Kingz

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Halfway through the Football Kingz' fourth season there was some mood of optimism. The Auckland-based club was in fifth place. A spot in the revamped top-six play-offs loomed.

Not for long.

In their remaining dozen games they won only twice. Among their eight losses in that second half of the season were the 5-0 and 7-0 shockers in Perth and Parramatta.

More of the same as the Kingz went down an all-too-worn path to oblivion. Only a late away win over Newcastle United kept them off the bottom of the table.

It was a season headed for disaster long before the first ball was booted in the home game against Sydney United last September. Ninety minutes of football that day failed to produce a goal. A sign, sadly, of what was to come. Only a four-goal haul in the season finale - the 5-4 loss to South Melbourne at Ericsson Stadium last Sunday - dragged them back to slightly better than a goal-a-game.

Not good enough.

Neither was the defensive effort.

Coach Ken Dugdale opted for three at the back. A lack of understanding, indecision and some indifferent individual efforts had them under pressure and led to too many soft goals.

Only some outstanding performances from born-again goalkeeper Michael Utting, who pulled off saves he had no right to reach, let alone make, saved the defenders from total embarrassment.

The midfield, too, had their problems. Captain Chris Jackson was a shadow of the player he once was. His has always been a game based around his role as a midfield destroyer, a ball winner who could link the defence and attack. Sadly he lost that pace and struggled in a team which too often failed to play close to their potential.

Mark Burton, with a lucrative three-year contract, showed little. Always, it seemed, troubled by injury, he gave Dugdale nothing. Raf de Gregorio played well at times, but let himself down with some ill-disciplined displays.

Youngsters James Pritchett and Steven Turner came into the fray as non-contracted players but sufficiently impressed Dugdale to claim more or less regular spots.

Up front Patricio Almendra was a shining light, bringing Auckland's Chilean community along for the ride. He showed some exquisite touches but got himself booked three times and sent off once.

With Paul Urlovic having a season he will happily forget, Harry Ngata was thrust into the attack. He responded magnificently giving 100 per cent throughout.

Try as he might, Andy Vlahos, good enough to start every game, could not buy a goal until late in the season.

Sadly, as the team fell down the points table, so did the support. From a high of an only-modest 3672 for the game against the Melbourne Knights in early November, attendances declined to just 1057 for the penultimate home game against Northern Spirit.

But, to go back to the start, there were problems.

General manager, chief executive, shareholder/owner Chris Turner continued his "no speak" lead-in to the season. For some reason he was hesitant to make vital coaching and playing appointments. He never, for example, explained the reasoning for dumping Kevin Fallon.

Then, after most player contracts had been sorted out, he appointed Dugdale (still in Norway), virtually handing him the same no-win situation Fallon faced in having little or no say in the players he would have to work with.

If nothing else, Turner is a survivor. For how much longer? The drums continue to beat the "I want to sell out" message. Turner is unlikely to comment on that.

He continues to stress that the Kingz are safe in the NSL and that a second licence needed from Fifa when the initial five-year term ends after next season will be a mere formality. Really?

Some Australian clubs would happily shove the Kingz out of the way especially as they contemplate a new-look league. There are problems for sure. Insurmountable? For the good of New Zealand soccer we must hope not.

Decisions which MUST be made sooner, not later, will have a huge bearing on the club's future. Given the speed with which Turner has worked in the past, we shouldn't be holding our breaths.