US beckons for Northland stalwart

Northland soccer coach and administrator Adam Hayne is taking a risk moving to New Jersey - to the home of Tony Soprano - but he is leaving to further his coaching career.
Hayne arrived in Northland seven years ago as United Soccer 1's  development manager and has changed the  landscape  in a  positive way.
The unflappable coach rates the decision to leave Northland as one of  his toughest  - it took a full month - and he was only finally convinced to take the job when he knew that Dave Alabaster would  take over the work he has started.
"I've had a terrific ride while I've been here and I've loved the people and living here, it's very similar to where I'm from in Devon, with the same sort of lifestyle," he said.
He has shouldered his fair  share of administrative duties in Northland but in the United States his new job will revolve solely around coaching.
"It's a full-time coaching role ... and I'm hoping I'll be able to get a lead on a university coaching position and then move on from there," he said.
"New York has two fully professional teams with two professional academies at all age group levels - both men and women - so the opportunities are huge there for me."
 Soccer followers here know he has the temperament to succeed at whatever he does and with a massive player pool, phenomenal facilities and huge financial support, going to the United States could prove a turning point in his career.
After injury forced him to take time out from playing  soccer in his last year of school, he decided to take some coaching badges and never looked back. He travelled away from his native England to work in Europe and further afield - even scoring a coaching job in Barbados for a while - and continued to upskill himself through further study.
He rates his work with the Northland women's teams as some of his best and has been rewarded with some big successes with his North Force women's team winning the league and cup double in 2006. Under his tutelage Hannah Wilkinson, Katie Rood and Nicci Couling all  reached the international level at age group or, in Wilkinson's case, the senior squad.
"Establishing that player pathway for all the kids has been a really big thing up here," he said.
He has worked to expand the junior representative system and has also worked tirelessly to increase the number of age-group tournaments hosted in Northland.
North Force coach Bruce Plunkett said Hayne stood out among his peers because his heart was always in his work.
"He's done a great job here. I took over the [North Force] girls after he'd had them and it was all so easy for me because he had them into great habits and a great attitude, so I know he's a good coach," he said.
"Who knows, maybe he'll wake up one morning a find a horse's head in his bed and then we'll get to see him back here again," he added.
Well, he is going to New Jersey after all.