Soccer: Fisher has immediate impact for Waitakere

Brent Fisher has quickly put his hand up and shown new coach Neil Emblen he is a readymade replacement for Daniel Kopricvic in leading the Waitakere United attack.

With Kopricvic heading across town to join fierce rivals Auckland City, Emblen went on the lookout for a goal-grabbing striker.

Fisher, playing his winter football at Forrest Hill Milford, caught his eye and has wasted no time in turning promise into goals. With Benjamin Totori, Allan Pearce and Roy Krishna providing the attacking width, Fisher is the ideal target in challenging opposing defences.

His impact has been immediate.

He is two-from-two with goals in the O-League opening 1-1 draw in Noumea and last Sunday's 1-0 NZFC win over his old Canterbury United team.

It has been a circuitous route to Fred Taylor Park for the 26-year-old, who first played for Canterbury United at 17 while a pupil at Christchurch BHS. He played in the Under-17 World Cup in 1999 and from 2002-04 for Northern Spirit in the old NSL across the Tasman.

He made his All Whites debut as a substitute in the 3-2 loss to Estonia in 2002 and played the last of his nine internationals (four goals) against Malaysia in 2006. Fisher also spent time in Germany and with Swedish club Bodens BK from 2006 until he returned to play for Forrest Hill Milford.

Emblen is more than comfortable with his call. "Brent is great for the squad - on and off the pitch," he said.

"I really rate him. If he bangs in 15 or 16 goals in the NZFC and one of the All Whites strikers is ruled out of the World Cup, if they win through to South Africa he could end up there."

With Krishna ruled out of tomorrow's second round O-League clash with Tahitian champions AS Manu Ura, Emblen, who will also miss the match through suspension, will be looking to Fisher, Pearce and Totori to provide the strike power.

Auckland City face New Caledonian side AS Magenta at Kiwitea St on Sunday fully aware they held Waitakere to 1-1 just two weeks ago.

City coach Paul Posa will be looking for a return to the form which brought 5-0 wins - both at Kiwitea St - in their opening O-League and NZFC fixtures after last week's 0-0 hiccup against Otago United in Dunedin.

Posa is playing a delicate balancing act through these early weeks of the season needing to give his players game time but without over-taxing them in the build-up to next month's Fifa World Club Cup in Abu Dhabi.

The last game before their November 30 departure will be the away O-League fixture with Waitakere which is already shaping, again, as crucial to both teams in their quest for a return to the World Club Cup.

In NZFC action on Sunday, Otago, buoyed by their effort against City, travel to play a Hawkes Bay side hurting after going down to Waikato.

In the busiest start to the new season, Waikato are on the road again, this time to play Canterbury United. If he gives himself any game time, Waikato player-coach Che Bunce will notch his 50th NZFC appearance as Waikato chase their fifth win in 15 games against the southerners.