FFA revokes Knights' licence

FFA revokes Knights' licence

December 14, 2006 EMBATTLED New Zealand Knights owners have been told to "bow out graciously" after Football Federation Australia moved to revoke their A-League licence immediately.

On a dramatic day for Australasian football, the FFA demanded the Knights hand back their five-year licence this weekend after the club originally moved to finish up at season's end.

To sweeten the deal, A-League chiefs have offered to wipe the Auckland-based club's debts of more than $600,000.

New Zealand Soccer is now poised to take over the operations of the cellar dwellers, who have won just three of their 37 A-League matches, to ensure the team plays out the season.

Although it first sought NZS's assistance last week, FFA operations manager Matt Carroll denied the national body would take over the licence in 2007-08.

Carroll said the new licensees couldn't afford to wait until the end of 2006-07 before the current owners – Europe-based businessman Brian Katzen, Anthony Lee and Maurice Cox – walked away.

"We've made them the offer to relinquish their licence early which will save their company a lot of money and allow them to bow out graciously," Carroll said today.

"Planning for season three has to start and player recruitment has to get under way and you can't do that if you have owners bowing out at the end of the season."

NZS chief executive Graham Seatter said it was prepared to take over the club's operations to save face for the sport in New Zealand, leaving All Whites coach Ricki Herbert as the likely new coach.

The Knights move has been a total disaster for both New Zealand Soccer and the FFA.

The club has always had a poor relationship with NZS, has only four home-grown players in its 20-man squad, struggled to attract crowds of more than 3000 and been perennial easybeats.

Straining relations with the FFA has seen the Knights conducting negotiations with the governing body through lawyers over the past month.

The club accused the FFA of jeopardising its future by withholding $300,000 in quarterly payments of broadcasting revenue.

It's unlikely the FFA will replace the Knights with an Australian team as none of the regional bid teams to join an expanded 2008-09 competition would be ready in time.

Townsville, regarded as the best prepared consortium, told AAP it would prefer to wait until the following season to ensure financial sustainability.

Carroll said NZ's planning for next season would start on Monday but assured the FFA would take heed of the Knights failure by ensuring the new club would have better financial support and business acumen.

"You need at least $4-5 million in the bank ... a good board of directors, a good CEO, and a good coach and then you're underway," he said.

"NZS would like to be part of whatever is going forward but they need some strong financial support and we do know that there are some financial backers who are enthusiastic about coming on board.

"The FFA has always wanted and still wants to keep a team in New Zealand."

AAP
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While the whole thing is a mess, I think this is still the best chance the Knights have of making a go of it in the A-League with direct involvement of NZS. Hopefully that will mean that player recruitment for next season will emphasise young New Zealanders and overseas-based internationals.

There was recently confirmation that as of next year New Zealanders would be counted in the 'foreign' player quotas for Australian clubs in relation to the Asian Champions League so there's an opportunity for the Knights to get/keep hold of local players.

Doing well tonight

3 - 0 before halftime.

I reckon about 6 or 7 might go in

Well it was 4-0 at half time, I WAS THERE, and loving every minute of it. Although this is a knights topic
GO VICTORY - AFC Champions League 08
and can i tell you something, becoz we are aware the AFC Champions League qualifiers are the premiers (top table spot) and the champions(winner of finals series) and if the premier is the champion in the same year then it goes down to the runner up of the Grand final. AND LET ME JUST SAY, any other teams wanna qualify for 2008 you'll only have to finish runner up.

1-0 up away to sydney

perth glory 4 wooden spoon

Gooooooooooooooooooooooooo Knights!!!!

perth take the lead against the victory

if hes not fighting, hes scoring. harnwell with the goal


c'mon melb