Soccer: Consistency key word for up-and-down Kingz side

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Football Kingz player-coach Wynton Rufer has often talked of the need for consistency if his team are to make a statement in their inaugural Australian National Soccer League season.

At times they have played some good, perhaps even very good, football. At others they have been ordinary. Ten wins and 10 losses in 25 outings suggest that consistency has been sadly lacking.

They have only once - and not until their 18th and 19th games - been able to win twice in successive outings and there is again a feeling that the standard achieved in one game is not repeated in the next.

Even more confusing is the inconsistency - even allowing for injury and suspension - in team selection. Not once has the same starting line-up taken the field. Only Ivan Vicelich has played in every game.

Make no mistake. The Kingz, despite their well-documented off-field problems, have been good for New Zealand soccer and Kiwi sport in general.

The crowd at North Harbour Stadium on Thursday night were right behind their team. The atmosphere generated by the 5000 or so vocal spectators was amazing.

In reducing the number of teams in the 2000-2001 competition, the league's hierarchy acknowledge that the standard across the board is not sufficient to support 16 teams.

That is no surprise: with more than 100 of Australia's best and perhaps 20 of New Zealand's better players plying their trade elsewhere it is understandable the football is not always top-drawer stuff.

The Kingz' effort has been encouraging, with younger players like Jeff Campbell, Aaron Silva, Noah Hickey and Vicelich giving hope for the future.

The Kingz are already in Western Australia to play third-placed Perth Glory tomorrow.

With injuries and other defections, it will again be a changed line-up, with Michael Utting likely to play in goal. Che Bunce returns, as does Chris Jackson.