KEY POINTS:
Wellington are on their own in their efforts to secure an A-League licence after the individuals behind the Palmerston North bid withdrew yesterday.
The two originally tabled separate bids but combined last month to strengthen their case.
"The process has been lengthy and taken a lot of time and effort. We're not sure where it's going so we're going to do other things," said Palmerston North spokesman Mark Cleaver. "We gave it a good shot but we just didn't get there. Hopefully someone else will because we still think it's do-able. We just ran out of time and energy."
Wellington spokesman John Dow didn't believe Palmerston North's withdrawal lessened their bid's chance of success.
"We both started out separately anyway so we're just treating it as a Wellington bid now," Dow said.
The New Zealand Soccer board unanimously decided on Friday to accept the A-League licence offered by the Football Federation of Australia, as long as certain conditions were met.
They have asked the original bidders - Auckland and the combined Wellington-Palmerston North group - to present a full business plan by 5pm tomorrow.
Little is still known about the Auckland bid headed by former Team New Zealand boss Alan Sefton but NZS chief executive Graham Seatter is taking the view they are still in the race.
Seatter said he wasn't surprised Palmerston North had withdrawn because Wellington had been the "dominant partner" and that he had the impression the major backer of the Palmerston North bid favoured the Manawatu city as the team's base.
"It probably makes it a little harder for Wellington because it means they are back to where they were at the start but, in some respects, it probably makes it simpler because they won't have to think about the needs of Palmerston North," Seatter said.
"I thought all along it would be quite challenging to balance their needs or requirements, which was a significant role for Palmerston North."
Dow said his team would meet tonight to discuss their position but he envisaged they would present a bid tomorrow. "We have always believed we have a good proposal," he said.
Seatter suggested the Melbourne model, based on one group underwriting the venture and then up 70 shareholders coming on board, was still high in their thinking.
"If either [Wellington or Auckland] had as much as half the level [of money] that was acceptable, then we would consider going to the open market and selling shares in the way Melbourne did.
"A number of individuals have approached us saying they would be willing to invest but at the moment we are letting the individual bids do it themselves."
The clock is certainly ticking because NZS have only until Thursday to formally accept the FFA's offer of an A-League licence. After a number of deadline extensions since December, when the FFA revoked the licence held by the owners of the New Zealand Knights, this is surely the last.
- HERALD ON SUNDAY
