Soccer: Knights back Adshead

The struggling New Zealand Knights are backing manager John Adshead, saying today he was the right man for the job.

Moving today to clarify Adshead's future with the Auckland club, chairman Anthony Lee told a press conference in North Harbour he wanted to "make it very clear that John is the man for the job".

"John has full support of the club and the board and is the right person to take this club not only through this season but into our next season.

"I'm saying from this moment onwards you don't need to ask that question anymore. "

The Knights slumped to their seventh consecutive A-League defeat on Saturday, 3-1 to the Central Coast Mariners, prompting speculation that the axe was about to fall on Adshead.

The Knights have now recorded just one win from 10 matches in the inaugural league.

Adshead said he had no concerns about the position of the club.

"Building a football club from scratch is a difficult job. I know exactly why the club is where it is," he said.

"I don't like where it is at this present moment but I do know why and how it would be put right."

The Knights' next match is on Friday against Newcastle at home.

- NZPA