By TERRY MADDAFORD
Father Christmas did not call on Kevin Fallon, but he still hopes there might be something for him in the New Zealand Soccer stocking.
Since taking the national under-17 side to a rare glory day for the code in this country - a 2-1 win over Poland at the World Championships - Fallon has heard nothing from the sport's hierarchy.
"I've been through a cold war since the under-17 championships," said Fallon. "Why? They [New Zealand Soccer] have not had the guts to tell me I'm no longer required.
"I had to read it in the newspaper that they had appointed two coaches for the under-16 side. Why don't they call me and talk to me? Apart from a slap on the back from [NZS chairman] Kevin Stratful after the Poland game I've never spoken to him. It is not very businesslike.
"I have heard people say there were problems with the way things went with the under-17s, but no one has come to me and said anything specific."
Fallon said he understood Ken Dugdale has been appointed the NZS director of football.
"He rang me and asked if I could work with him. I said, 'no way, sometimes I can't work with myself.' That's the way I am. I get deeply involved in what I'm doing.
"I don't mind being a follower as long as the leader knows where he is going. I run a tight ship - always have. The under-17s were a difficult team to run, but I made it clear I was running the team my way and we got the results to match. I built up a magnificent platform. Why do they now want to scrap it?"
There were rumblings of discontent within the New Zealand Soccer board before and during the under-17 tournament, but Stratful trod carefully. He said "things will be sorted out," but as yet nothing appears to have been done.
Dugdale has yet to accept the director of football role as he does not want to walk into any standoff between New Zealand Soccer bosses and Fallon.
New Zealand Soccer chief executive Bob Patterson said that while the concept of having a director of football had been approved by the board, there had been no formal appointment.
"The under-17 coaching position is still being assessed," he said. "It is premature to say Kevin Fallon has been dumped."
There has been no move by New Zealand Soccer to involve the academy set up by Fallon at Mt Albert Grammar, which further suggests soccer chiefs are keen to cut all ties with the man most maintain is the best technical coach in the country.
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