Soccer: Fallon plays the waiting game

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Kevin Fallon will have to wait a little longer before pitching a new central defender into the Football Kingz lineup.

He has talked to people in England, who have identified three players that could join the Auckland-based club.

But coach Fallon accepts he will have to wait until after Christmas.

"I can understand players wanting to spend the festive season at home before flying halfway around the world," he said yesterday. "It is not an easy situation. I have to go on other people's judgment.

"It is a case of crossing your fingers and hoping it will turn out right."

Fallon was pleased with the fight shown by his team in holding unbeaten Newcastle to 2-2 in the NSL on Friday night.

But he still wants more stability and hard work at the back.

"I have not seen a Kingz team roll up their sleeves and fight as they did on Friday night," Fallon said.

"It is still not perfect, but you couldn't question their commitment."

He singled out goalkeeper Michael Theoklitos and striker Andy Vlahos as the class acts in the game which ended with the visitors snatching an equaliser in time added on.

Fallon also praised the workrate of veterans Harry Ngata and Chris Jackson.

Despite the way Campbell Banks lifted the team after the break, Fallon said the newcomer still had a lot to learn.

Banks has yet to sign a contract with the club, although chief executive Chris Turner expected him to make contact this week.

Jackson has gone from a week-by-week deal to month-by-month, and will let the club know by the end of this month whether he will stay or take up an offer in Singapore.

Neither Fallon nor Turner were keen to comment on the refereeing decision which cost them a victory on Friday. Fallon questioned only the way the timekeeping was done.

He, like many, was unsure whether the referee indicated to the fourth official how much time was to be added or whether it was done the other way round.

In either case, it was difficult to accept the need to add more than 3 1/2 minutes to the end of a 45-minute spell which had no injury stoppages.

"I had 3m 28s on my watch when the referee blew for Newcastle's goal," Fallon said.

"I think time added is a whim."

He has little time to reflect on the game, as the Kingz are back on the move this week for a difficult trip to Adelaide.

All players will report for training this morning and some will be at the beach this afternoon.

The rest will play North Shore in a hitout at Rangitoto College this evening.