KEY POINTS:
The Wellington Phoenix are keen to enter a team in the NZFC to allow fringe players and talented youngsters to play regular football.
At present they are the only A-League club who do not have a team in the newly-created Youth League and are desperate to have a reserve team to help build depth.
The idea is still in its infancy but is something the club are keen to discuss further with New Zealand Football, who are likely to make changes to the national league for next season on the back of grave problems with the NZFC.
"We definitely need a second team and if we can't play in the [A-League] youth competition then the NZFC would be a good option," Wellington chief executive Tony Pignata said.
"The FFA (Football Federation Australia) would be happy for us to play in a local competition and it would be a lot cheaper to play locally rather than fly to Australia every second week.
"If we were granted a place, we would be happy to waive any right to play in the O-League if we won the league. We have a squad of 23 so every week six or seven miss out - it would be a good chance to give them game time."
NZF would have to change their rules about professionals playing in an amateur competition as well as overcome issues about duel registration with national bodies of New Zealand and Australia.
"Allowing them to play is something we will look at for next season," NZF chief executive Michael Glading said, "but there are issues around it because it is an amateur league. But if there's a will there's a way."
