Soccer: Soccer chief clings to Kingz

By TERRY MADDAFORD

New Zealand Soccer is prepared to go toe to toe with Football Kingz' owner Sky Television over its plans to sell the ailing club to its chief executive Chris Turner and fellow board member Ted Midlane.

Sky chief executive John Fellet said last week the board had agreed to sell a 90 per cent shareholding in the club to the pair.

The deal was conditional on approval from New Zealand Soccer and Soccer Australia.

New Zealand Soccer chief executive Bill MacGowan is "gob-smacked" at the deal.

He arrived back from a short visit to Britain on Friday to be told of the agreement.

He brought back a proposal for a group of Auckland businessmen, a high-profile British club and New Zealand Soccer to take the reins.

"We were advised by Sky in January that they were withdrawing their shareholding in the Football Kingz," MacGowan said.

"It was agreed New Zealand Soccer would try to put a new investment group together to run the Kingz.

"I went to the group with which I was talking and we looked at the options. Sky were kept fully informed. I was surprised, to say the least, when John Fellet told me on Friday of the heads of agreement Sky had with Chris Turner and Ted Midlane.

"Under our proposal, New Zealand Soccer, who would have no financial input, would take responsibility for marketing, financial/accounting matters, sponsorship and media," MacGowan said.

"We would provide the non-footballing services.

"Football Kingz Ltd - with a board comprising the four backers and one each from the British club, Sky and New Zealand Soccer - would appoint the coach and football manager and contract the players."

It is understood MacGowan has put a similar proposal to the club's board before, but has been out-voted.

MacGowan would not be drawn on any future role for Turner and Midlane.

High on the list of concerns for MacGowan and his group - should they gain control - is the "out of control" wages bill.

While no-one is giving numbers, it seems around $2 million is being paid to the players this season.

Cutting that - by at least half - is high on MacGowan's hit list.

"The only way the Kingz can survive is by cutting player payments," he said.

"Players simply can't demand the level of payments they have been getting. We are absolutely certain the Kingz can survive with part-time football."

Of a likely budget, MacGowan said: "We are not talking huge numbers. The club obviously needs to be capitalised in a way to ensure its financial position."

MacGowan is adamant the Kingz must survive "with stability".

"New Zealand Soccer needs to be in a position to go to Fifa in 15 months and show the Kingz have played, and will continue to play, a vital role in the game's development here.

"We have to do all we can to foster the game here rather than turning to imports. That would be one benefit of building a strong link with a British club."

MacGowan said he had a timetable which would provide a formal offer to Sky by Friday.

Before then, he faces a meeting this afternoon with Turner and, on Wednesday, a meeting of the Kingz board.

Although Turner and MacGowan come together from opposite ends of the football field, on one issue they do agree.

"The player's budget will be reduced by quite a bit," Turner said. "The club is financially secure for the next 18 months, if nothing changes. If a shareholder or shareholders became available, we would look at that, provided we felt they could add value to the Kingz.

"I'm confident New Zealand Soccer and Soccer Australia will agree to Sky's proposal.

"Sky doesn't want to own a football club.

"It is happy and keen to retain a 10 per cent shareholding and a director on the board, and will continue to broadcast games.

"Owning a football club is not its core business, but by doing what it has done, it has allowed us to continue running the Kingz."

Turner said he had discussed the club's future with MacGowan and said he did not expect any problems with New Zealand Soccer.

But McGowan's plans mean today's meeting might not be quite the same friendly "howdy-do" Turner is expecting.