Youth league next option

Football

Heartland Wairarapa chairman Bob Francis is disappointed over the decision by Football New Zealand to deny them a place in the 2013-14 national summer football league.

Francis and his board met yesterday afternoon to discuss their next steps with Francis, expressing optimism they will accept the offer of fielding a team in the ASB youth league instead.

"Obviously we are disappointed not to be involved in the premiership. The signs had been pretty positive and we were reasonably confident our bid would be successful," he said.

"A lot of hard work went into making certain we had everything in place. We were ready to go."

Francis conceded Heartland Wairarapa's chances were not helped when Football New Zealand elected to keep the number of teams at eight, replacing an out-of-form YoungHeart Manawatu with the New Zealand under-20 side, which is preparing for the Fifa Under-20 World Cup to be hosted by New Zealand in 2015.

"We always knew we would be better placed if they increased the premiership to 10 teams but that didn't happen."

The ASB Youth League is for players under 20 years of age and the 2014 version will kick off in January with Heartland Wairarapa and South Auckland invited to join Waitakere United, Auckland City, Waikato, Hawke's Bay United, Northern under-17s, YoungHeart Manawatu, Team Wellington, Nelson Falcons, Canterbury United and Otago United.

Francis is "pretty hopeful" of Heartland Wairarapa taking up the offer to play in the youth league, although he admitted that would depend on how those more involved in the playing side of the organisation saw their prospects of fielding a competitive side.