Soccer: De Jong blasts Kingz' efforts

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Fred de Jong, one of New Zealand's highest profile players and now a respected television commentator, has slammed the Football Kingz' on and off-field efforts.

In a hard-hitting attack on the Auckland-based club playing in the Australian national league, former international de Jong has called for the club's hierarchy to make some hard decisions.

"There is a long list of poor decisions," said de Jong, who turned out in the NSL before joining Dutch first division club Fortuna Sittard and later the Kingz where he played an influential role in their first season.

"But now they should be thinking about how they are going to turn it around. There is no real work ethic within the team.

"The whole import thing has not been thought through. Other issues also suggest there has been a lack of desire and organisation.

"The results have been disappointing."

The Kingz lost three of their four games, conceding 12 goals in their last two matches, under Australian coach Mike Petersen, who walked out this week,

"I'm sure Mike Petersen wanted better, but in the end the hassles he was having with the club, and theCon Boutsianis issue, drove him away.

"He was probably asking himself, 'do I need all this?"

From the outset, the Football Kingz and controversy have been very uneasy bedmates, lurching widly from one controversy to another.

In Sky Television, the Kingz found a fairy godmother who has kept the rocking ship afloat.

But for how much longer?

Despite a strong customer base, Sky recorded total losses of $69.3 million in the 24 months to June 30.

The parent company and shareholders must, surely, be looking closely at the club's contribution to that.

On the field, record losses will eventually turn away the fans, who remain among the most supportive in New Zealand sport.

New Zealand soccer needs the Football Kingz - but certainly not the dramas.