Football: Hosts feel pinch of claiming own title

Co-coach Chris Greatholder puts the Rovers through their paces. Photo / Warren Buckland

The last time Napier City Rovers won their youth national football tournament was in 2006.

"It's about time they did it again," is often the hackneyed response but the prudent will tell you the Rovers are allowed to falter momentarily to resort to a "whatever".

That's because the Lotto Under-19 Youth tourney, which kicks off tomorrow at Park Island, lures the cream of age-group pedigree players to Hawke's Bay over Labour Day weekend so nothing is a given.

"Since that [2006] record we haven't been too great," says Bill Robertson, who is co-coaching the Rovers team with former Kinetic Electrical Hawke's Bay United coach Chris Greatholder this year.

In all honesty, the two are familiar with their talent pool but will have some difficulty gauging what the other traditional powerhouses such as Three Kings United, Cashmere Technical, Lower Hutt, Wellington Olympic, East Coast Bays, Petone and Birkenhead will bring to the park.

Three Kings are the defending champions, beating Cashmere 7-6 in a nail-biting main-draw final at Bluewater Stadium after the sides were locked 2-2 in regulation time.

Suffice it to say Rovers coaches have ASB Premiership and Youth League players in their squad with Welsh import midfielder Mile John, playing for Canterbury United this summer, co-captaining the Blues tomorrow with striker Angus Kilkolly, who is in the Wanderers Soccer Club mix.

"Our preparation isn't ideal because we'd have liked to have had more training," said Robertson, who is training with Team Wellington in the capital.

The Blues, with several Bay United Youth squad members, are in group C with Eastern Suburbs, Glenfield Rovers, Lower Hutt City, Oratia United and Wellington Olympic.

"It's the group of death but you've got to beat them all to win the tournament," said last summer's Bay United franchise skipper.

Not only does the tourney entice quality players but also coaches, including the Bay pair.

"Hopefully, we'll add some value to the youth at a national level, because me and Chrissy both have the qualifications to coach at this level," Robertson said.

He was delighted to see the Rovers' tourney had grown from strength to strength.

The tourney will have non-stop games from 9am to 6pm tomorrow and 8.30am to 5pm on Sunday, when the main draw quarterfinals will kick off from 3.30pm. The semifinals are from 9am on Monday, culminating with the final at midday at Bluewater Stadium.

In the satellite section a tier below, Rovers have a B team with other Bay hopefuls Havelock North, Napier Marist and Western Rangers.

Tourney details

*Group A: East Coast Bays, Hamilton Wanderers, Three Kings, Upper Hutt City, Waitakere City, Wellington United.

*Group B: Cashmere Technical, Fencibles, Hibiscus Coast, Petone, Western Springs, Western Suburbs.

*Group C: Eastern Suburbs, Glenfield Rovers, Lower Hutt City, Napier City Rovers, Oratia United, Wellington Olympic.

*Group D: Bay Olympic, Birkenhead, Ellerslie, Miramar Rangers, Stop Out, Tawa.

Rovers' Games

Tomorrow:
*10am: v Eastern Suburbs, pitch 4.
*1pm: v Oratia United, pitch 3.
*4pm: v Glenfield Rovers, pitch 4.

Sunday:
*9.30am: v Wellington Olympic, pitch 4.
*12.30pm: v Lower Hutt City, pitch 3.

Satellite teams

*Group E: Albany United, Kapiti Coast United, Matamata Swifts, Napier City Rovers B, Waiuku, Waterside Karori.

*Group F: Havelock North, Melville United, Metro FC, New Plymouth BHS, Papakura City, Victoria University.

*Group G: Cambridge, Island Bay, Manurewa, Napier Marist, Onehunga Mangere United, Wainuiomata.

*Group H: Forrest Hill Milford, Ngongotaha, North Wellington, Pukekohe, Tauranga City United, Western Rangers.