Soccer: Kingz take time to choose coach

By TERRY MADDAFORD

The Football Kingz will not be seeking applications as they look to replace runaway coach Mike Petersen.

Kingz chief executive Chris Turner last night confirmed that a subcommittee of the club's board had met yesterday to confirm the direction it would take.

"We have a skeleton of the idea of what we feel is right," Turner said.

"We have to decide whether we will repeat the football manager-type role we were looking for when we appointed Mike Petersen or whether we will look for a coach.

"Once we are firm on that, we will go out and get the right person."

Turner said the club had received more than 20 applications.

While he again refused to name names, it seems that Bernd Stange, former East German and NSL coach of the year (with Perth Glory), has expressed interest. "We will look at those as well as the applications we got last time round," Turner said. "We have not set a date for the next %meeting, but it's likely to be this week.

%"While most of the subcommittee who appointed Petersen are again involved, there will be no recriminations over that decision."

Stand-in coach Shane Rufer will again prepare the team for the next game, away on Friday against Sydney United.

Of the on-going battle with Con Boutsianis, Turner said he hoped the tribunal hearing would take place this week.

"I have heard reports that Boutsianis has said we want $300,000 before we will release him," Turner said. "The figures are wrong, but I can confirm we are looking for a transfer fee and to recover fines and legal expenses."

Rufer took some satisfaction from his team's 2-2 away draw with Wollongong Wolves on Friday night.

It was a point that took them away from the bottom of the NSL table.

"The whole team pulled together and that was the most important thing," Rufer said.

"The will to be united and to fight together was there. It's definitely something to build on for the next game.

"James Bannatyne had a good debut, Mark Burton did well playing completely out of position, as did Paul Urlovic and Andy Vlahos.

"Tim Stevens and Leigh Kenyon did well after being called in late."

The Kingz' resources will again be stretched this week, with Vlahos set to cop a two-match ban after being sent off in the last minute.

Wynton Rufer will be back, but Shane Rufer has some concerns over Harry Ngata, who was kneed in the thigh, and Jonathan Perry, who needed a painkilling injection because of painful toes.