Soccer: Kingz coach ready to break the ice

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Ken Dugdale will get to meet some of his Football Kingz players for the first time this morning.

The pleasantries over, it will be down to work in a five-week race against time to prepare for their NSL opener against Sydney United.

"All the triallists are here, but obviously there are some I haven't seen an awful lot of," Dugdale said on the first day in his new job with the Auckland-based franchise.

"Working with a team who finished last means there is only one way we can go.

"It is up to me and [assistant coach] Stu Jacobs to create an atmosphere where the players enjoy going to work.

"Already, Stu has noticed a lot of enthusiasm."

Dugdale and Jacobs settled on much of the squad by remote as Dugdale saw out his time with Norwegian second-division club FK Vesteralen.

There was little surprise that he identified All Whites midfielder Chris Jackson as the player at the top of his list.

"In his time at the club he has often not played in his rightful position, but he was first on the list. We had to sign him."

Illness kept Jackson away from the Kingz' welcoming powhiri at their new home, the 18,000-student Unitec campus in Mt Albert, yesterday.

Kingz director Chris Turner said the move signified a shift in the operations of the Kingz, and an opportunity to rebuild the culture of the club.

For the first time players and management would be together on the one site, he said.

Bad weather ended any hope of a practice match last night.

Dugdale is keen to continue the trial process with a view to having most of his 18-to-20-strong squad in place by next week.

A second goalkeeper behind James Bannatyne remains the priority, with Dugdale admitting that former All White Michael Utting remained an option.

* The All Whites' win in the Oceania Nations Cup last month has seen them jump 41 places in the latest Fifa rankings.

They are now 47th, just one place behind Australia. The rankings are headed by World Cup winners Brazil.