Soccer: It's time for the Kingz to turn season around

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Tonight's clash with pacesetters Perth Glory means a lot more than just three points for coach Mike Petersen and the Football Kingz.

The square-off at North Harbour Stadium is a chance for the Auckland-based team to get it right.

Many feel that a loss, which would leave the Kingz with just a single point of a possible 12 from the opening rounds of the new NSL season, would be one step short of a disaster.

Petersen will not have a bar of that. He sees the game as the chance to assess where they are.

"Perth are the yardstick," said Petersen, who must somehow rally his troops after last week's shocker when they battled back from 1-3 to 3-3 against Marconi, only to blow it 3-5 when the home side scored twice in extra time.

"No one felt more pain than we did," Petersen said. "The boys know they blew it. They were gutted. They were bleeding inside. Now they have a chance to put it right.

"Make no mistake, Perth have been through a lot of pain. They have been in the league for five years, but still haven't got what they came for."

Petersen is determined his side shakes off the shackles and "gets in the face" of their opponents.

"I feel at times we are paying the opposition too much respect. This is a battle they have to win ... They desperately want to do it and have been working hard."

Against the league leaders, it will not be easy. In Damian Mori and Bobby Despotovski they have two of the best strikers in the league.

"Sure, we have to mark them out of the game," Petersen said. "Whoever is assigned to that has to do the job on them."

The Kingz must also look at their own game.

Apart from odd patches in the 0-0 draw with Petersen's former club South Melbourne, the Kingz have failed to flatter.

The only change from the squad who played in Sydney last Saturday is the return of midfielder George Goutzioulis after he was dropped for "disciplinary reasons" - an incident Petersen dismisses as a storm in a teacup.

He comes in for Jonathan Perry while Gerard Davis was not considered. Petersen hopes he will be close to a return from injury next week.

Perth have had the longest trip in world domestic football. In arriving late yesterday afternoon they might have cut it fine, although Petersen said otherwise. He points out they, like the Kingz, face a long trip every second week.

The game kicks off at 7.30 pm.

Football Kingz (from): Michael Theoklitis, Riki Van Steeden, Sean Douglas, Mark Atkinson, Levent Osman, Vinko Buljubasic, George Goutzioulis, Wynton Rufer, Paul Urlovic, Hiroshi Miyazawa, Andy Vlahos, Harry Ngata, James Bannatyne, John Markovski, Mark Burton.

Perth Glory (from): Jason Petkovic, Matt Horsley, Scott Miller, Craig Deans, Jamie Harnwell, Shane Pryce, Edgar Junior, Brad Maloney, Damian Mori, Bobby Despotovski, Michael Garcia, David Tarka, Alistair Edwards, Gary Faria, Tony Franken.

Referee: Neil Fox (Auckland).