United strive for league promotion

Wairarapa United are leaving no stone unturned as they strive to win promotion to the Central League men's soccer competition next season.
Victory in the Capital Soccer division one series is paramount for that to happen and Wairarapa United are working on the premise their chances will be greatly enhanced by them not only having a powerful premier side but a strong second team as well.
Which, in turn, is the reason why they have already appointed John Antcliff as coach of their second team for 2008 and entered them in the Capital division-three competition, something guaranteed to provide them with stern opposition on a regular basis.
Wairarapa United spokesman Phil Keinzley said the club was taking a lesson from top Central League clubs like Western Suburbs, Miramar and Lower Hutt, which all derived considerable benefit from having strong second teams.
"It's all about building for the future, you need to be in a position where second team players are ready to take the step up when the opportunity arises," Keinzley said. "The greater the depth the better the club."
This is not, of course, the first time Wairarapa United have looked to play their second team in a Wellington-based competition.
Similar moves have faltered in the past because of a waning in the interest of players but Keinzley is optimistic that won't be a problem next season.
He said the fact top Wairarapa local league club Masterton Athletic had been eliminated from Chatham Cup play by Capital fourth-division sides in the past two years was an illustration of the standard of play the seconds would be up against at third-division level .
"The incentive is there for players to be involved in a competition which will improve their individual skills and provide them with consistently hard match play and it will be disappointing if they don't respond positively to that," he said.
Keinzley said it was important players wanting to try out for either the premier or second teams made themselves known to Wairarapa United officials now as the intention was to put them on fitness programmes which would have them in good physical shape when the serious training began in February next year.
And he emphasised that while all the premier side from last season were expected to be available for selection again in 2008 the door was still very much open in that respect.
"The premier team is certainly not a closed shop, any players who think they have the ability to make that side are encouraged to have a crack at it," he said.
Keinzley also noted that as the only local club able to enter teams in competitions outside this region Wairarapa United were currently on the lookout for coaches for their under-19 men's team as well as their JPL (junior primary grade) 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th grade sides.
"We're aiming to make next season something special for Wairarapa soccer so anybody who can assist in a coaching or administrative role would be very welcome," he said.