Soccer: Kingz going for it with Swansea saviour

Brian Katzen knows all about bailing out strugglers - he does it for a living.

The man ready to lead the Football Kingz' fight for a place in the much-awaited revamped Australian NSL is looking forward to the struggle.

South African-born Katzen lives in London with his Russian wife, Alisa, and their six-week-old daughter, Gabriella.

In South Africa he played soccer for his representative teams at a junior level, hoping one day to play professionally. A career-ending knee injury at 18 dashed those hopes.

His first contact with New Zealand came three years ago when he spent time with his brother Tim in Auckland.

His brother had moved from South Africa to New Zealand seven years earlier. His parents followed later.

With professional football a no-go, Katzen looked elsewhere.

"I took the academic route, eventually becoming a chartered accountant in Cape Town after finishing at university. I had five years with an accounting firm there before moving to Johannesburg and later to Los Angeles to work for an international accounting firm.

"I then moved on to a manufacturing firm in LA," Katzen said.

"I was No 4 in a company employing 500, but they were in some financial trouble. It was good experience. While in Los Angeles I met my current business partner, Jeff Crevoiserat, an American.

"We later moved to New York and had five years in Manhattan where we continued to work in our small, private equity company. We tried our luck.

"It wasn't easy. There were times we could barely afford to pay the phone bill. We certainly appreciate the value of money.

"But sometimes good luck just happens. We took over struggling companies needing to turn things around," Katzen said. "There is always something good about a business. It was up to us to find what that was and take it from there.

"We were managing distressed businesses which became profitable.

"All of a sudden we were getting referrals and built up a portfolio."

While Katzen now calls London home, he still travels to New York regularly and has business interests in Europe.

The Kingz connection began in 2001 when Katzen, 37, was in Auckland and was put in touch with director Chris Turner by his brother.

"At that time I was becoming involved with the Swansea City Football Club and asked my brother about the possibilities of linking with a club in New Zealand.

"Someone joked about the possibility of buying a football club. I saw a one-line advertisement in a magazine saying Swansea was for sale. I called the guy and it was obvious they were in a mess. They were losing millions of pounds a year.

"

"By the time I went to buy Swansea I found they had sold it to someone else for £1," Katzen said.

"For a number of reasons that didn't work. [The new owner] took advantage of the situation and the fans quickly wanted him out. They came back to me and we got together a local consortium and bought him out."

With some satisfaction, Katzen has helped turn things around to the extent this weekend they are at home to Preston in the fourth round of the FA Cup - their best cup run for five or six years.

He has set himself the target of getting the one-time first division (premier) league side back to the first division (from the third) within three or four years.

"Then we can build from there.

"I certainly have no regrets, but even today people say I'm crazy.

"I don't see the Kingz being any different than Swansea were at the start. You have to set realistic goals and go for them."

Katzen will continue to oversee from afar with his right-hand man, South African Guy Hedderwick, taking an active role here as they chase marketing opportunities.

Turner, for whom Katzen has the utmost respect, will play "a minor but important" role in the push forward.

"He thrives on these kinds of things," Katzen said.

The Katzen file

Age: 37.

Born: Cape Town.

Lives: London.

Marital status: Married to Alisa. They have a 6-week-old daughter, Gabriella.

Football interests: Owner/chairman Swansea City FC; major shareholder Football Kingz.