Soccer: Kingz pin hopes on former foe

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Con Anthopoulos' first contact with the Football Kingz was in 1999 as a member of the Carlton team who thumped the Auckland-based side 3-0 at North Harbour Stadium on their NSL debut.

Now he is set to help the Kingz as they attempt to turn their fourth season around by qualifying for the top-six playoffs.



Anthopoulos, 26, flew into Auckland yesterday and immediately joined the Kingz for their midweek friendly against East Auckland.

A former youth international, he played alongside Kingz striker/midfielder Andy Vlahos in the 1995 Australian junior team.

Anthopoulos, who plays at either right back or as a central defender, is on a two-week trial with a view to playing the rest of the season.

Meanwhile, the club are continuing their search for a striker to bolster the attack in their remaining eight league games.

Anthopoulos is set to join Chilean Mauro Donoso, who played his first Kingz game last weekend, in a new-look defence against Adelaide City Force in New Plymouth on Saturday.