Soccer: Knightmare before Xmas

Knights goalkeeper Danny Milosevic has revealed the extent of problems within the club at management and player level and has questioned the motives of departed striker Simon Yeo.

The 27-year-old talked of a club in crisis that needed to make major changes from the boardroom to the playing field, clearly frustrated by a season that has seen the Knights win only one of their 15 games this season. He also hit back at Yeo's parting shots of "unprofessional behaviour" by Knights players.

It comes on the back of news former skipper Danny Hay has almost certainly played his last game for the Knights with differences between the outspoken defender and the club seemingly beyond repair.

Hay was told to take time off last month after he said he had lost confidence in coaches John Adshead and Tommy Mason but he had been expected back at training on Monday.

It's understood he was on his way to training when he was called by Knights chief executive Steve O'Hara and told to stay away because he was not welcome at the club. Knights management perceive Hay to be a destructive influence.

However, it's debatable whether Hay, who still has two years left on his contract, would now want to rejoin the squad unless sweeping changes were made at the top.

At 30 and with persistent groin injuries, Hay's professional future is uncertain. It would be an inglorious end to a successful career, considering he's only one of three Kiwis to have played in the English Premiership.

All Whites coach Ricki Herbert did say, however, that Hay would be "an integral" member of the national side in 2006.

Professional Footballers' Association chief executive John Didulica met with the club on Thursday but was unable to come to an agreement regarding the termination of Hay's contract.

Milosevic said there was widespread support among the players for Hay. "If you can't support the captain then you shouldn't be at the club. He's a leader and a spokesman for us all. He's our voice."

Milosevic confirmed there was a team meeting, at which the majority of players voted that they had lost confidence in the coaching staff. "There was a meeting called and the players had a chance to vote," he explained. "They were under no duress. If you wanted to take part, it was an individual decision."

Milosevic realised that "some people might be disappointed in me" for talking publicly but felt that "honesty is the best policy".

"Decisions need to be made but if people aren't prepared to make them it makes life difficult. It begins at the top in the boardroom and decisions need to be made in all areas, and that also goes for playing staff. They have to make hard calls.

"We can't go along this road because it's... unsustainable and people aren't coming to watch us. It's not rocket science."

Milosevic was a team-mate of Hay's at both Perth Glory and Leeds United and Hay was a major reason why he signed with the Knights.

There have been suggestions that the Knights' dressing room is a happier place without Hay and Yeo, who on Friday returned to England, but Milosevic said there was widespread uncertainty among the players.

"With all the departures it creates uncertainty and doubt as to what is going to happen to the club," he said. "Nobody knows."

A club-approved press release was circulated on Friday explaining that Yeo had left because of financial pressures but he also talked about "unprofessional behaviour by a few players". "A small number of players have, in my view, tried to undermine the gaffer and force the club's hand," Yeo said in the statement.

Milosevic questioned Yeo's approach. "I'm amazed why he had to say stuff the day he was leaving," he said. "He didn't attend the meeting anyway. When you see players leaving, you don't hear the full story. As a player you wonder why they are leaving. What sort of atmosphere does it create for the rest? Doesn't he have the bollocks to say why he's leaving? You start to wonder just why Ronnie Bull [who returned to the UK in November] and Simon Yeo left."

Milosevic said there was nothing unprofessional about the secret meetings in which players voted no confidence in the coaching staff.

"Back in England when I was there, those sorts of meetings take place. For Simon to say it was unprofessional, then he hasn't had the experience or the understanding of what it's like."

O'Hara expressed disappointment that a player felt the need to go to the media. "I guess this is what John refers to as the level of professionalism, or not, we have at the club," he said. "If players have issues then surely the first port of call would be the club.

"They had one-on-one meetings so that was the forum to air any grievances.

"The club is looking at every aspect. Changes that need to be made will be made from the playing staff to the coaching staff, the management to everybody. But things take time to be reviewed."

- HERALD ON SUNDAY