Soccer: Provinces look to break Auckland stranglehold

New Zealand Soccer's showpiece competition kicks off on Saturday with the eternal question -- is there any way past the big-two from Auckland?

But in the best traditions of defending champions and title favourites, Auckland City coach Allan Jones is talking up the New Zealand Football Championship as a wide-open affair, with Canterbury United and Waikato FC the two big off-season movers.

"Absolutely, the other clubs have worked doubly hard over the summer to get the best players in New Zealand available on the park," Jones said.

"And if they're not available, they've been brought in from overseas."

That notably applies to Waitakere, still hurting from their 2-3 loss to Auckland in the inaugural final in March after the two Auckland sides finished nine points clear of the field.

Having lost their star striker Keryn Jordan across town to the defending champions, Waitakere looked offshore.

There, they found former international Pablo Cardozo, the fourth-highest scorer in the Australian national league, and his highly-rated younger brother Richie, 19.

Canterbury finished fourth last season but have recruited shrewdly in the form of All Whites striker Brent Fisher and former All Whites goalkeeper James Bannatyne from Auckland City.

Defender Ben Sigmund and midfielder Andrew Barron also return to give player-coach Danny Halligan a well balanced lineup likely to cause headaches for most teams.

Waikato FC were nine points behind Waitakere in third last season and will provide Auckland a tough task in the match of the round on Saturday.

Jones identified the presence of All Whites central defender Che Bunce and the injection of Czech striker Jakub Sinkora from Otago and midfielder Mihe de Vetter as key factors -- although Waikato have only 11 players returning.

Auckland are hard to go past, having won 14 of 21 last season and with All Whites keeper Ross Nicholson and former internationals Jonathan Perry, Paul Urlovic and Riki van Steeden -- the latter ruled out this weekend with a knee injury.

Jones rated his side stronger "right across the board" and have goalscoring power with Jordan joining last year's leading marksman Grant Young.

"We were inundated with players who wanted to come and join us. We've signed a few new ones and gingered up the squad a little bit.

"But just signing one player doesn't make you that much stronger. Last year we used 27 players in the run-in to the championship, so you've got to develop a good squad."

A powerful Team Wellington were one of the flops of last season, winning five of 21 under former All Whites coach Mick Waitt.

The bulk of that squad return to make amends and chase a playoff spot, bolstered by striker Peter Halstead from Manawatu, Jamie Duncan from Canterbury and Napier City's Matt Adams.

Last year's fifth-placed Napier City have become Hawke's Bay United under player/coach Perry Cotton, with former Scotland keeper Jonathan Gould, Scotland midfielder Graham Fyffe and Northern Ireland Under-20 player Lee Mudd their imports.

YoungHeart Manawatu are mainly the Palmerston North Marist side who were beaten Chatham Cup finalists this year, under the same coach Colin Tuaa.

Two key signings in Solomon Islander Commins Menapi and former All Whites keeper Michael Utting have boosted their stocks, and last year's wooden spoon is unlikely to be retained.

Otago United boast the most intriguing signing -- player/coach Terry Phelan who played 42 times for Ireland and won an FA Cup with Wimbledon in 1988.

The defender, 38, and keeper Lutz Pfannenstiel -- one of last year's stars -- will be key men as the southerners look to improve on their five wins from last season.

Otago host Team Wellington on Sunday, while Manawatu host Canterbury and Hawke's Bay host Waitakere.

- NZPA