Soccer: Eye on NZFC title and Fifa pay day

Auckland City football caretaker coach Paul Posa. Photo / Kenny Rodger

The more some things change the more they stay the same. That seems to be the story of the New Zealand Football Championship.

Players and coaches constantly switch clubs but come the end of the season the results are pretty much the same.

In the first five NZFC seasons, only Waitakere United (three times) and Auckland City (twice) have been at the top of the season-ending points table. They have then gone on to win the add-on grand final - City (four times), Waitakere (once).

The sixth season promises to be little different. Only the bravest would go past the championship heavyweights as they again chase not only the title but, more importantly, the chance to represent Oceania in the lucrative end-of-year Fifa World Club Cup.

With no prizemoney, the only pay day for NZFC clubs comes from the Fifa handout - and even that is shared with the national body and the remaining franchises.

Auckland City have wasted no time in showing they again mean business with 5-0 wins in opening O-League and NZFC games.

They are in a mood for more on Sunday's trip to the deep south while Waitakere have home advantage as they return to Fred Taylor Park for another North v South inter-island clash with Canterbury United.

Paul Posa, called in to coach at City following Colin Tuaa's mid-season departure, is back at the helm with one eye firmly on the November 30 journey to Qatar (for a warm-up) and then the World Club Cup in Abu Dhabi.

Happy with what his players have shown him in seeing off AS Manu Ura and Waikato FC in strong early season efforts, Posa wants to maintain that momentum.

Pleased with the way his players weathered the early Waikato pressure in Sunday's NZFC opener, Posa took heart from their goal-scoring efforts.

"One of the things I wanted was the players to remain focused and look to score from second phase which they did," said Posa.

At the other end of the park, Posa admits he is a trifle embarrassed with his goalkeeping riches.

Jacob Spoonley kept a clean sheet in the O-League win and newcomer Paul Gothard repeated the effort against Waikato.

Spoonley will be back between the posts at Carisbrook on Sunday.

"At the moment we can't separate them. We need them both playing football so I will continue to swap them around."

Posa has lost few first choice players from last season but has welcomed Jason Hayne's return along with new signings Daniel Kopricvic, Ian Hogg, Jake Mathews and Gothard.

There has been more of a changing of the guard at Waitakere with Neil Emblen elevated to player-coach following Chris Milicich's departure.

Emblen will be without Kopricvic, Danny Hay, Jonathan Perry, Chris Bale, Jeff Campbell, Paul Seaman and Kayne Vincent but has signed Brent Fisher and Ryan de Vries from winter club Forrest Hill-Milford, Jeremy Christie, Craig Wylie, Liam Little, Martin Bullock and Dimas Da Silva to what appears a well-balanced squad.

In another change, Waitakere are back at Fred Taylor Park after their past seasons at Trusts Stadium. The surface out west is immaculate.

Elsewhere there have been the usual spate of comings and goings with Waikato, too, appearing to be on the right side of that ledger in signing player-coach Che Bunce, Daniel Peat, Mikael Munday, David Samson and Jason Chewins.

Their biggest loss came with Marco Rojas taking up a contract at the Wellington Phoenix.

As ever, there is the usual speculation about a likely finishing order but it would be a safe bet to go with the two Auckland clubs and Team Wellington to fight out the top spots with Waikato, YoungHeart Manawatu or perhaps Canterbury United next best.

The biggest early season call will come off the playing field when New Zealand Football board members receive recommendations concerning the future of the competition.

It is expected the board will consider the recommendations including whether there will be a seventh season at next month's meeting and report back to the December board meeting.