KEY POINTS:
Dean Gordon's switch from New Zealand Football Championship club Auckland City to the New Zealand Knights has raised the ire of many.
Under New Zealand Soccer rules, and acting on an edict from Fifa, a player can be registered for up to three clubs in one year - from July 1-June 30 - but only play for two.
Gordon, who stunned many when he walked out of City on the eve of this week's Club World Cup in Japan to join the Knights, had already played for Albany United during the winter in the Northern Premier league. Playing a handful of games for City should have been the end of the road for the former English professional until next July 1.
"We have asked Fifa for clarification," said NZFC league manager Glyn Taylor yesterday. "We feel that in this case there has been a clear breach of the rules.
"We expect Fifa will say they can't stop a player making his living by going from an amateur [NZFC] club to a professional one [any in the Hyundai A-League]."
It appears that Football Federation Australia does not invoke the two-club rule allowing Gordon - and presumably others - to play. To stop him would be, in their eyes, a restraint of trade.
Taylor said he still felt that moving from an amateur club(s) to a professional was outside any rules.
Asked why New Zealand Soccer was adamant on insisting there be no breach of the rule to allow players to continue their careers, Taylor said NZS was following Fifa rule article 5.3 which he insisted related to all players.
"You have to ask why the amateur game is being disadvantaged to such a huge extent," said Taylor. "It is not a level playing field."
Sam Wilkinson, who played for Melville United in the winter and had limited game time with Auckland City while his father Roger was coaching there ( he and the club split a few weeks ago), is an example of how a player can be caught by the rule.
"It's ridiculous that Sam can't play anywhere - other than, it seems, in the A-League or back at Melville next winter - until July 1," said Roger Wilkinson yesterday. "For me, this highlights a lack of leadership by New Zealand Soccer.
"Even more ridiculous is the situation with Campbell Banks. Here we have an All White who can't play because he had a few minutes - no more - with Olympic [in Wellington] and then the Knights as short-term cover for an injured player.
"He needs to be playing and the NZFC is the obvious place for that.
"He scored the equalising goal against Charlton Athletic this year but now can't play in his top domestic competition.
"Full marks to the New Zealand Knights for taking Dean Gordon on. In England, other European leagues and in Australia, except for the very top competitions, they take no notice of the rule."
The rule will come under closer scrutiny in the next few weeks as the NZFC transfer window is open from December 14-January 11.
Not surprisingly, given the rule, Taylor said there had been little indication of impending player movement.
Wilkinson said the NZFC should be looking at putting a loan player, or some other agreement, in place to ensure the best players could play in the NZFC.
"We have players at Auckland City like Michael Boxall and Cole Peverley who aren't playing, and were not needed for the trip to Japan.
"But because they are registered with City they can't, if they wanted to, play elsewhere. It would make sense if they were playing at Waikato or Hawkes Bay."
Taylor said he had asked for an urgent reply from Fifa in anticipation of questions raised once the NZFC transfer window opens.
