David Leggat: Results matter, whatever Kingz call themselves

A few years back there was an American singer called Prince.

He was a bit of an odd-bod, but he was popular, sold a few squillion records, won awards and made buckets of money.

Then for some reason he decided to change his name. Actually he went further than that and opted to become a symbol. A sort of squiggle.

But rather than have fans, taxi drivers, hot dog vendors and PR flunkies call out "Hey Squiggle" to attract his attention, he became known as The Artist Formerly Known As Prince.

He could just have called himself Ex-Prince, but there you are. Not theatrical enough.

A few months back English soccer's fallen hero Paul Gascoigne undertook a similar move to change the way he is perceived.

Gazza announced he wanted to be called G8 from now on. He said he wanted to put behind him a reputation as an alcoholic hellraiser who wasted his considerable talent.

Now he sounds like a summit meeting. But in fact what's happened is he's known as G8, also known as Gazza, who wants to put behind him a reputation as an alcoholic hellraiser who wasted his considerable talent.

Yesterday we had another rebranding - or name changing to give it the old-fashioned title.

The Football Kingz became the New Zealand Knights for the debut season of the revamped Australian national soccer league, now to be known as the A-League.

Club chairman Anthony Lee's reason was a desire to start afresh "with a brand new product".

In the course of the statement, the word "brand" appears eight times. Unless the memory plays tricks, the organisation began as a soccer club, not a corporate entity, but that's the way of modern professional sport.

When known as the Kingz, from its start in 1999 until last season, the franchise was not a great success. Season after season they would go through an arm-wrestle with the wooden spoon.

Even when New Zealand's greatest footballer, Wynton Rufer, was there, it wasn't enough to push them into playoff contention.

So the new management have decided it's time for a change.

The new name won't make them a better team. It won't enhance their chances of winning the title or even making the playoffs.

To do that you need to play better soccer, no matter what name you go by. What it does do is present the impression of a fresh start. It's like painting the outside of a house.

There's no mention of colour changes, but don't be surprised if the Knights start in something to distinguish themselves from the Kingz' black and white.

It's a psychological thing. The players will certainly be told this is a new beginning. So will the fans.

There has been a soulless, defeated air about the Kingz in the last couple of seasons. Something had to be done.

If it can be pulled off, it's a neat trick. Whether it works remains to be seen.

As certainly as Knights follow days, the proof will be in the performances and, more crucially, the results when the A-League starts in August.

And that's got nothing to do with the name on the dressing room door.