Soccer: Oceania vote put off

By TERRY MADDAFORD

The controversial vote to find Charlie Dempsey's successor as president of the Oceania Football Confederation has been put off yet again.

Delegates met in Sydney yesterday but after a sometimes stormy meeting at which caretaker president Johnny Tinsley Lulu twice walked out, it was agreed that the presidential vote will now be taken at a congress, possibly in Vanuatu, on November 25.

At the same time, it is likely there will be clarification of whether there should be a vote to find Dempsey's successor on the powerful Fifa executive committee.

Fiji's Mohammed Sahu Khan assumed that role following Dempsey's retirement, but some countries have questioned his election by the OFC executive rather than a full congress.

Soccer New Zealand chief executive Bill MacGowan said yesterday's meeting had been two hours of "petty wrangling."

He was also concerned at reports, apparently initiated by some of the island nations, that Australia and New Zealand were split on the matter.

"That is just not true," MacGowan said. "Australia and New Zealand are united and we want to see the matter resolved."

Discussion of a number of OFC statutes will take place at the November meeting but a business plan will be discussed in Sydney today.

Meanwhile, former All White boss John Adshead has guided Oman into the finals of next year's world under-17 championships following victory in an Asian championship in Vietnam.

After losing 1-2 to Iran, Oman beat Bangladesh 3-1, Thailand 2-1 and Kuwait 5-3. They then came back from 0-2 to beat Japan 3-2 in the semifinals. In the final the Adshead-coached side beat Iran 1-0 to book their place in the Trinidad and Tobago finals.