United's huge bid for football league

BIG NAMES ON BOARD: Former All Whites goalkeeper Mark Paston is set to be on Wairarapa United coaching staff. PHOTO/BRETT PHIBBS

Wairarapa United are leaving no stone unturned in their bid to be involved in the 2016 national summer football league.

It will involve 10 club sides drawn from throughout New Zealand with 14, including Wairarapa United, still in the reckoning for inclusion. Their fate is the hands of Football New Zealand who will announce the successful candidates in mid-December.

Wairarapa United president Phil Keinzley is convinced his club has met criteria which places considerable emphasis on such things as finances, facilities, coaching, development strategies and governance.

"We have done the hard yards, there has been a lot of work put into coming up with an application which covers all the bases," Keinzley said.

"It's a huge commitment for a region of our size but we are confident the support will be there to make it all worthwhile ... it's a big challenge but we're up for it."

Keinzley said Wairarapa United's home base of Memorial Park in Masterton was a major plus for them. The all-weather surface there was as good as any in the country and while the lighting for night games needed to be "revved up" for live television coverage there seemed no reason why that could not be done.

"Without Memorial Park we couldn't even consider something like this but now there's no reason why it shouldn't become a reality."

Also helping the Wairarapa United cause should be their second placing behind Napier City Rovers in the 2015 Central League, something which provides clear evidence of their ability to be competitive at the higher level. Keinzley expects the bulk of this year's squad to be available for both the winter and summer campaigns next year and is quick to emphasise that many of them have already proved their ability in the national league. "I don't see the playing roster being any problem at all, we've got a lot of talent there, it's a good base from which to build from."

There should be no worries about coaching either. If Wairarapa United's summer league application gets the green light then their current Central League coach - and former Phoenix star - Paul Ifill will take up the head coach position and he will be assisted by Alan Jones, who has a formidable cv in that field. He coached at Bristol City, Blyth Spartans and Darlington in England before coming to New Zealand in 1979.

Jones took charge of the All Whites in 1983 and in 40 games under his charge they registered 15 wins, nine draws and 16 losses.

He has also coached the New Zealand women's team and took Auckland City to success in the national league Jones is now heavily involved in supervising level three coaching courses for Football New Zealand.

Also on the Wairarapa United staff as a specialist goalkeeping coach will be Mark Paston, the former All Whites 'keeper.

"Honestly, I can't imagine any club anywhere in the country having a better coaching line-up, that's going to be a big attraction for the players too," Keinzley said.

On the subject of costs Keinzley said it was difficult to put a figure on what amount would be needed to sustain a national league side but he said Wairarapa United would obviously be looking for sponsors to help out in that respect, and there would also be a need for a decent-sized group of volunteers to assist with match day arrangements.