Soccer: Big time beckons second Kiwi club

New Zealand Football Championship clubs are set for a second shot at the big time.

On the eve of tomorrow's all-Auckland clash between Waitakere United and Auckland City, Oceania Football Confederation general secretary Tai Nicolas has announced there is a strong possibility that two NZFC clubs will be invited into future OFC Champions Leagues starting with the 2007-2008 play-offs next October.

The winner of the OFC round-robin qualifies automatically for Fifa's World Club Championship and a big pay day.

There had been disquiet among some clubs when Auckland City, who will play in December's championship in Japan, were handed a free ride into the OFC Champions League early next year as New Zealand's sole representative.

"We know this was not perfect," said Nicolas. "But we needed to know the NZFC representative by November 4 and New Zealand Soccer opted for Auckland City.

"It is now our intention to invite two New Zealand teams into future OFC Champions Leagues. They will then find their two teams by April and then have seven months to prepare for the Fifa Club Championship.

"We see a strong New Zealand presence as vital. We have been talking to Maori Television about having games live," said Nicholas. It is understood the New Zealand Knights sounded out Oceania about getting an automatic Champions League spot.

While they were considered, it appears the OFC opted to back the NZFC as the premier competition in this part of the world in the hope there would be a growing presence of island nation players.

NZS chief executive Graham Seatter claimed the addition of an extra team - almost certain to be ratified at next month's OFC congress - as fantastic news.

"We are delighted at the likelihood of having two teams chasing a place at the world championship."

While the format to find the teams has yet to be settled, it is likely NZS will use the same format as last season when, as hosts, New Zealand were entitled to two representatives with the NZFC [round-robin] winner and the grand final winner/finalist taking their spots.

Waitakere United chairman Rex Dawkins said having a second team and omitting the Knights would strengthen the NZFC.

"With this opportunity, franchises will have the confidence to invest in the NZFC and attract sponsors," said Dawkins. "It is unfortunate that the Knights play in a competition aligned to Asia."

When the opportunity to play in the world club championship was first handed to Oceania, it was envisaged that should the Knights finish in the top three in the A-League they would be given the opportunity to play-off for a spot. That never happened and now it seems the door has been shut.

OFC League

Teams to play 2007 OFC Champions League

Group A: Auckland City (NZ), AS Mont Dore (New Caledonia), Port Vila Sharks (Vanuatu)

Group B: AS Temanava (Tahiti), 4R Electrical Ba (Fiji), Marist FC (Solomons)

Matches (home and away) to be played 4th week January, 3rd week February and 3rd week March with final (home and away) April 21/28.