Soccer: Coach keeps faith with humbled Kingz

By TERRY MADDAFORD

The Football Kingz will have to wait until tomorrow afternoon before learning who will play the Brisbane Strikers.

Coach Ken Dugdale will name his team a few hours before the match at Ericsson Stadium. There will be at least one change, and probably a couple more, from the team who were humiliated 0-7 by Parramatta Power last week.

"The frustration goes on for the players, the supporters and the coaches," said Dugdale. "But the players are the only ones who can do anything about it.

"I could make five or six changes but that wouldn't be fair on the players we brought in. As hard as it might be at times, we have tried to keep faith with the players."

Mark Burton, injured early in the game against Parramatta, is out. Jeremy Christie or Steven Turner are the most likely to step into the vacant midfield role.

"It was a bad week, for sure," said Dugdale. "It was a long day. The players were on the road at 4.30am. That's not an excuse but it is a fact.

"Having said that and looking at what happened, I don't think there is anything to be gained in sitting down and hammering out the message. I believe the team we have put out has been the best available."

With four matches left, the Kingz have a slight chance of making the play-offs, but don't hold your breath. It is time to move on, and Dugdale is already scrutinising players with next season in mind.

Meanwhile, the biggest crowd at a soccer match in Auckland this weekend will be at Kiwitea St this afternoon.

Central always enjoy solid support. That they are playing North Shore United adds some spice. Toss in the chance to see the goal-scoring skills of Shore's new boy, Davis Haule, and it promises to be standing-room only.

Billy Harris' Central side go into this key fifth-round game in the Southern Trust-sponsored national league as the early season pacesetters.

With former Shore players Steve Callinan and Neil Sykes set to play against old team-mates, there could be a bit of niggle.

"We will certainly be paying attention to Davis Haule," said Harris. "We are happy to go into the game in first place even if it is 14 rounds earlier than we had planned."

Central will be without suspended Dean Tallentire, while Shore have lost Chilean striker Aaron Silva to injury.

The TAB has Central as hot favourites.

In Napier, the once star-studded side are struggling. With only one point and in foreign territory at the bottom of the table, Napier will be looking to turn things around when they meet a steady Canterbury side today.

In tomorrow's matches, East Auckland, keeping pace with Central in the early season race, face a tough home encounter with Miramar Rangers at Bill McKinlay Park.

Easts will again be without experienced defender Sean Douglas. Heath McCormack, serving a one-match suspension, will also be missing.

Frustrated Miramar coach Ken Cresswell is hoping for a better defensive effort against the one-time glamour club.

"Our defence is simply making too many basic errors," he said.

Manawatu, brought back to the pack with their 1-2 loss to Central - the first points the Palmerston North side have dropped this season - face a home game against Dunedin Technical.

Tauranga City, struggling to recapture last season's form, have the difficult trip to Dunedin to play Caversham.