KEY POINTS:
New Zealand Knights chairman Anthony Lee says he wouldn't hesitate to resign if he could see a potential replacement anywhere for the ailing club.
The Knights sacked manager Paul Nevin on Wednesday after a 4-0 loss to Sydney that left them firmly on the bottom of the A-League table, replacing him with recently-appointed director of football, Barry Simmonds.
There were also calls for Lee to resign, with Football Federation Australia head of operations Matt Carroll saying accountability started at the top.
Lee, who owns the Auckland-based club along with London-based Brian Katzen, said he did feel a degree of accountability.
"If I was to move on now, then we wouldn't have a club because there's nobody standing in the wings waiting to take up the role," Lee said yesterday.
"There is no question it starts at the top, I have no doubt of that, and that's why I'm on record as saying that if there is somebody else that is prepared to come along and take on the role and they are the right person for this club, then I would step down tomorrow."
The continued failings of the Knights have seen the club's future in the eight-team A-league questioned, but Lee was confident that was secure.
"I have no fears for the club as far as the A-League is concerned in taking the licence away. We have that assurance from the FFA.
"As far as fears for the club, it doesn't take a brain surgeon to realise that the club is having difficulties. We're bottom of the league, we don't have any major sponsors, we don't have a lot of fans turning up."
Lee said two weeks ago that he had confidence in Nevin despite the team's eight-game losing streak.
The Knights won their next game against the Queensland Roar - making them more successful already than last year's team - but a 4-0 loss to Sydney was the final straw for Nevin.
Simmonds said he hoped to offer fresh energy to the Knights when they play the Central Coast Mariners at North Harbour Stadium on Sunday.
"Some times you just need to shuffle your pack and use the resources that you've got, the resources being the players, and maybe just change a few things here, there and everywhere."
- NZPA
