Kalteck has fresh shot at hitting news

Football

The name Brian Kalteck has regularly hit the headlines in football circles in the past few weeks.

The Vanuatu international became a source of controversy when he came off the reserve bench during the closing stanzas of Wairarapa United's 2-1 win over Napier City Rovers in a Chatham Cup match in Napier on June 16.

The furore was not about Kalteck's on-field performance, but because Rovers protested at his appearance as, according to them, he was not eligible to do so because he had allegedly forfeited his "non-guest player" classification by playing overseas within the past 12 months.

New Zealand Football upheld the protest and disqualified Wairarapa United from the competition, a decision now under appeal, the result of which should be known by week's end.

Wairarapa United coach Phil Keinzley is keen to see Kalteck in the spotlight for a different reason on Saturday. Keinzley intends to include him in the starting line-up for his team's Central League fixture with Wellington United in Wellington and could even give him the chance to shine in two positions requiring widely divergent skills, fullback and striker.

"He (Kalteck) has the versatility to play just about anywhere and this is a good opportunity to see what suits best for us," Keinzley said yesterday.

Saturday's game could also see Dale Higham return to the squad. It would be his first outing since being part of the Junior All Whites at the World Cup tourney in Turkey.

Higham saw little playing time in any of the three cup games, all of which the Kiwis lost, but his speed and flair will clearly boost Wairarapa United's attacking play against a Wellington United side they beat comfortably earlier in the season but who have a habit of rising to the occasion when playing at home.