Soccer: Bannatyne bracketed in goal for Kingz

By TERRY MADDAFORD

James Bannatyne is pushing for his NSL debut with the Football Kingz in Wollongong tonight.

Stand-in coach Shane Rufer named most of his starting line-up for the fifth-round clash with Wollongong Wolves early in the week, but has bracketed goalkeepers Michael Theoklitos and Bannatyne.

"We won't make a decision on that until closer to the game," Rufer said after the Kingz had completed a final training session yesterday morning before their afternoon flight to Sydney.

"But with the players we don't have available, I was able to name the rest early on.

"There is a positive feeling among the players," Rufer said. "They are determined to turn things around. All the talk has been about this week's game, definitely not about things that are now behind us.

"We are putting out a team I know are capable of doing the job. We will definitely not be playing three up front, but we will be looking at our options across the park."

Without Wynton Rufer, Gerard Davis, George Goutzioulis, Sean Douglas and Che Bunce, selection was relatively straightforward.

Levent Osman will play as a sweeper to give a much-needed last line in defence.

He will play behind Riki Van Steeden and Hiroshi Miyazawa.

Jonathan Perry will play on the right of midfield.

The remaining players in the starting X1 are Mark Atkinson, Harry Ngata, who will assume the captaincy in place of the injured Douglas, Mark Burton, John Markovski, Paul Urlovic and Andy Vlahos.

Vinko Buljubasic will start on the bench with Leigh Kenyon and Tim Stevens, who rejoined the depleted Kingz squad this week.

Young striker Lee Eeson has remained in Auckland.

Like the Kingz, Wollongong have had a shocking start to their season.

They have gained only one point from four outings, including a 3-1 loss in Newcastle last week.

In their clash at Ericsson Stadium in April, the Kingz beat Wollongong - who within weeks were crowned NSL champions - 3-2.

At that time the Kingz were chasing a top-six finish and Wollongong were after the minor premiership, which they eventually lost to Mike Petersen's South Melbourne.

"We will be back to the basics," Rufer said.

"The players will have specific jobs over the pitch.

"They know what we want. It is a case of rolling up the sleeves and getting stuck in."

The game kicks off at 9.30 pm (NZ time).

Kingz: James Bannatyne or Michael Theoklitos, Levent Osman, Riki Van Steeden, Hiroshi Miyazawa, Jonathan Perry, Mark Atkinson, Harry Ngata (cap), Mark Burton, John Markovski, Paul Urlovic, Andy Vlahos. Substitutes: Bannatyne/Theoklitos, Vinko Buljubasic, Leigh Kenyon, Tim Stevens.

Wollongong Wolves: Dean Anastasiadis, Alvin Ceccoli, Robert Stanton, David Cervinski, Paul Reid, Stuart Young, David Huxley, Ben Blake, Darren McDonald, Tony Perinich, Dino Mennillo. Substitutes: Max Nicholson, Naum Sekulovski, Buddy Farah, Grant Barlow.