Soccer: A-League chiefs plead for crowds

Football Federation Australian (FFA) chiefs pleaded for fans to support the new league when they officially launched the competition in Sydney this week.

"The players are ready, the management is ready, the board is ready, and the kickoff is in a couple of weeks time and to really succeed we hope we get the support we need and deserve," chairman Frank Lowy said at a press conference.

Lowy said he was expecting crowds of between 10,000 and 15,000 at A-League matches.

That may be a tall order for the Knights, whose home base of Auckland is dominated by rugby, a point acknowledged by Hay.

"Rugby is the be all and end all at home, but having said that, if we win that is what New Zealanders love," he told NZPA.

"They are pretty fickle. If you don't win they are not going to turn up, but if you do they will be there."

Hay said the Knights were excited to be included in the eight-team league and determined to hold their own.

"We have been given this chance to play in the league and for the whole soccer scene in New Zealand we can't afford to let them down."

The Knights suffered an embarrassing 0-5 loss to Queensland Roar in pre-season competition just over a week ago, but were much sharper in going down 0-1 to Central Coast Mariners last Saturday.

Hay said the loss to Queensland was a real disappointment, particularly as it was the Knights' first home game.

"We are over that now. We know we have a heck of a lot of work to do ahead of the first game, and I'm sure the boys are willing to put that hard work in and turn things around."

Their first A-League match is against Queensland in Brisbane on August 28.

FFA chief executive John O'Neill was confident the Knights' loss to the Roar was a pre-season hiccup.

"That is what the pre-season is for, to get the cobwebs out of the way and make sure they are going for the real deal on August 28."

"I think they are going to be very competitive," he told NZPA.

O'Neill said the Knights were a well run franchise who had met all their financial requirements.

Some other teams have had to be under-written by the league.

The FFA is targeting youth in Australia and New Zealand in its advertising campaign, with its television advertisements featuring the music of New Zealand hip hop artist Scribe.

The advertisement depicts paint-splattered Queensland Roar captain Chad Gibson, Newcastle Jet Nick Carle and Adelaide United's Ross Aloisi showing off their ball skills in beat to Scribe's words: "How many dudes you know roll like this?, Not many, if any."

O'Neill would not say how much the campaign cost, and Lowy denied that it was much as A$10 million ($11.25 million).

"Essentially we are looking to hit a sweet spot within Australian youth culture but in a way that is not exclusive of our existing fans and families," O'Neill said.

He said they wanted to engage Australia's 16 to 24-year-olds, but also hoped to draw in old soccer supporters from the troubled National Soccer League days and families as well.

- NZPA