Soccer: Contracts on line for Kingz players

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Their season is almost at an end but not the pressure on those Football Kingz players chasing contracts for next season.

The Kingz have just two matches of their inaugural National Soccer League season to play. While they no longer have any hope of making the top-six playoffs, they can play a part in who does.

Their last home game of the season against the Brisbane Strikers at North Harbour Stadium in Auckland tonight is crucial for the visitors, who must win their last two matches to have any chance.

The Kingz end their season tomorrow week against Parramatta, and before that, player contracts will be up for review.

"We have been working on next season's budget for the past two or three weeks," said Kingz chairman Chris Turner. "We have to work out which players we want to retain and which new players we will target.

"To be fair to the players we will let go, we need to make these decisions quickly. Only Harry Ngata, Chris Jackson, Jason Batty and Riki van Steeden - who signed two-year contracts - are assured of their places next season. Of the rest, only Fred de Jong has indicated he will not be available."

Turner refused to be drawn on the future of Chileans David Moya and Aaron Silva, apart from saying "they will go into the mix."

Coach Wynton Rufer, annoyed by the loss to Canberra - a result he tagged a "joke" - has swung the axe.

Not required for tonight's game are Marcus Stergiopoulos, Jackson, Jeff Campbell, Robbie Middleby and Jonathan Perry.

Interestingly, Moya and Silva have both been included, as have de Jong, John Lammers and Rufer, who were the strikeforce when the Kingz upset Marconi at Ericsson Stadium.

The others in the squad are Daniel Duke, Che Bunce, van Steeden, Lee Jones, Noah Hickey, Ivan Vicelich, Ngata, Leigh Kenyon and Batram Suri.

The on-going discussion over the Kingz' NSL future continues. At a meeting in Auckland last week, Soccer Australia and New Zealand Soccer officials pledged their 100 per cent support for the Kingz' bid to extend their initial two-year licence.

Turner said the deal with new backers Sky Television would not be affected by Fifa's ruling on the extension.