By TERRY MADDAFORD
Expect big changes in the Kingz' playing staff for the next National League season.
Che Bunce, Harry Ngata, Sean Douglas, Levent Osman and Jonathan Perry have the second year of a two-year contract to play. There have, however, been suggestions that one or more could be on the move.
Sydney club Northern Spirit is showing interest in Ngata and at least one British club is looking at Douglas.
Defender Michael Cartwright, after one season with the Kingz, is almost certain to join Northern Spirit, where he could be joined by All Whites midfielder Noah Hickey, who struggled for game time at the Auckland-based club.
The biggest losses will be the almost certain departures of former European-based players Mark Burton and Aaran Lines.
Burton flies to Britain in about 10 days for talks with, among others, Scottish premier league clubs Aberdeen and Hibernian.
Lines has been linked with the same clubs, which is hardly surprising because the pair are in the Canterbury Management Group stable.
Burton and Lines would be free to leave the Kingz, but if players such as Ngata or Douglas moved on, they would be subject to a transfer deal.
Kingz general manager Chris Turner said yesterday that he expected the five players still under contract to stay, but declined to say if any other players had agreed terms for the new season.
It is understood that Gerard Davis will stay, but Jeff Campbell is considering offers from the Kingz and other clubs before making a decision.
Under the NSL agreement, the Kingz can have only three imports - players from non-Oceania countries - on the field at one time next season. This suggests at least one from Dennis Ibrahim, Andy Bluhm, Julio Cuello and Aaron Silva will be missing when new coach Mike Petersen names his 18-man squad.
Petersen is due back in Auckland next week for further talks with Turner and the club.
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