New plans to develop Wairarapa soccer talent

Keinzley Agvet Wairarapa United have come up with a new plan to encourage the development of the district's promising soccer talent.
They have withdrawn their second team from the Capital division three competition in favour of them playing Friday night games under lights at Carterton in the Wairarapa championship.
And they will include at least four of their second team players in their Capital premier division squad meaning that the numbers there will be increased from the usual 14 to 18.
Spokesman Phil Keinzley said the withdrawal from the Capital third division series was prompted in the main by a lack of players willing to commit themselves to playing on a weekly basis at that level.
"We just didn't have the numbers necessary to press on?the constant travelling seemed to be the biggest bugbear," he said.
Keinzley believes that playing their Wairarapa championship games on Friday night would have advantages both for the Wairarapa United seconds and Wairarapa soccer in general.
Firstly it would give local players the opportunity to experience the novelty of playing soccer under lights and, secondly, it would mean the Wairarapa United players would also be able to turn out for any of the clubs and colleges the following day if they so desired.
"It's a win-win situation for everyone," he said."It helps us develop a good base for our premier division side and it should have little effect on how the clubs and colleges operate either."
Keinzley said the extension in numbers of the Wairarapa United premier division side would "very definitely" not mean the same players being on the bank week after week.
In discussions with coach Pita Rabo it had already been established that the younger players would be given significant match time, especially in games against opposition sitting mid-table or worse.
"Obviously it could mean weakening our chances of success in those games but that's a risk we are willing to take," he said. "If it means that our youngsters will progress to the point where they will be vital members of the side in another season or two it's a risk worth taking, isn't it?"
Keinzley said those players in the extended squad who were not selected for the premier division team on Saturdays, or who were in the reserves, would play for the Wairarapa United seconds on Friday nights.
"It means the whole squad will be getting match time each week and in terms of fitness, both mental and physical, that's very important," he said
The season proper for the Wairarapa United premier division squad doesn't begin until the first week of April but before then they will contest the annual Hilton Petone pre-season tournament which will run for three weeks and gets under way this coming Sunday.
First up for Wairarapa United is a match against central league side Stop Out and while Keinzley is sure the team will be competitive he said coach Rabo would be placing the emphasis more on experimentation than on results.
"It's a chance to get combinations sorted out before we get into the serious stuff and that's what we will be looking to do," he said.