Soccer: Things are looking up at the Kingz

By TERRY MADDAFORD

After days of uncertainty, things are starting to look up for the Football Kingz.

Chairman Chris Turner said yesterday he had reached agreement with the Auckland Regional Council over unpaid rent.

At the same time he announced Ericsson Stadium as their home ground for 10 of 12 games in the forthcoming Australian National League season.

The more important news came in a letter from Soccer Australia to New Zealand Soccer which reaffirmed the Australians' desire to have a New Zealand-based team in any revamped league provided it had the full backing of the national body here.

NZS chief executive Bill MacGowan revealed details of the letter from Soccer Australia which followed a whistle-stop trip across the Tasman 10 days ago by MacGowan, NZS chairman John Morris and New Zealand's representative on the Oceania Football Confederation, Mark Burgess.

At yesterday's hastily-called media conference, MacGowan stressed that NZS had no intention of taking over the management of the Football Kingz. Neither would it be putting any money into the club.

"We are a governing body. As such we do not put money into a private profit-making body," he said.

Asked whether he was concerned with the present situation at the Kingz, MacGowan said: "Yes, clearly we are concerned. Negative publicity in any form can have an impact on the game."

But MacGowan is keen to have the Kingz' application for an extension of their licence, which currently takes them to the end of the 2003-2004 season, ready to present to Fifa in Doha in late October.

Turner is keen to meet that deadline, but says it is not vital.

He dismisses any suggestion of another "entity" challenging for their spot in the NSL.

"There is no opportunity for a rival bid," Turner said before he boarded a plane for England last night. "If we meet the criteria we are guaranteed our place."

Turner has no idea how many teams will play in the revamped league, which is scheduled to start in October next year.

"The NSL clubs have set up a committee to look into that and other issues."

Of his arrangement with the ARC, Turner said: "The financial matter has been settled."

He refused to give any details and declined to say whether any of the almost $60,000 rent owed had been paid. "It has been settled and the matter of the double-header will now go to arbitration."

Turner said he felt it was important to go to England now, even as the start of the Kingz' season beckons.

He will meet new shareholder Brian Katzen and travel with him to Swansea City with a view to establishing a relationship with that club.

Asked if there was any significance in him flying with Emirates - one of the major sponsors of premiership side Chelsea - Turner declined to say whether they were a likely sponsor for the Kingz.

The Kingz and Chelsea have established ties which will see two players from the London-based club join the Kingz this season.