Soccer: Fifa ruling may cut Kings' life to two seasons

By Terry Maddaford

The Football Kings will be scuppered after just two seasons in the Australian league if a strongly worded directive from soccer's governing body is enforced.

But New Zealand Soccer chairman Kevin Stratful is not so sure and will take up the Kings' case.

Oceania Football Confederation president Charlie Dempsey received a letter from Fifa general secretary Michel Zen-Ruffinen late last week which, in part, reaffirms "that the inclusion of the Auckland team in the professional league of Australia is restricted for a two-year period after which the club concerned will be compelled to return to New Zealand ..."

Dempsey said: "The letter only confirms what I have said all along."

Stratful said New Zealand Soccer received a letter from Fifa earlier that said the Kings had been granted a licence [to play in Australia] for two years or until such time as a professional league is established in New Zealand.

"This is not a Kings issue," said Stratful. "It is between New Zealand Soccer and Fifa. Fifa will not talk to any club. As far as New Zealand Soccer is concerned we will not debate the issue through the media. I hope Charlie Dempsey contacts me."

But Dempsey said: "The conditions under which the Kings are to be allowed to play in Australia were made very clear at the executive meeting in Los Angeles last month.

"There were four speakers of which three were totally against the move. I was the only one who spoke in their favour but it was obvious to me that two years was the best they could hope for.

"The Fifa executive saw the granting of dispensation to the Kings as a dangerous precedent. Such a move is not covered in their statutes," said Dempsey.

"They pointed to the Welsh clubs who play in the English leagues and the poor standard of Welsh football to back their thinking."

Dempsey said it was a sympathy vote by the executive who acknowledged the expense and energies put into the Kings' bid.

"If I had shut my mouth they would not have got even this far. I'm not trying to knock what they are doing, I just want the facts known."

Kings chairman Chris Turner said players had signed for either one or two years.

"We contracted some players 'subject to Fifa approval' - both parties would have an out."

The timing of this bombshell could not have been worse. Turner intends to announce the major sponsor this week, as well as the signing of another couple of players - including at least one from the Confederations Cup All Whites squad.

"One has verbally accepted and we are speaking to another this week," Turner said.

Turner flew to Sydney last Saturday for a meeting of Ericsson Cup clubs at which they attempted to finalise the 1999-2000 draw.

"It has not been sorted out yet but I expect to see it within seven to 10 days," said Turner. However, reports from Australia yesterday suggested the Kings will kick the first ball of the new season in a home game - almost certainly against Canberra - on October 1.

The 17 National Soccer League clubs rejected midweek games.