Soccer: Young men, your club needs you

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Ken Dugdale wants his players to front up for Kingz and country.

With three losses on the back of their record three successive wins, the Football Kingz must turn it around against Wollongong Wolves at Ericsson Stadium tonight or face a slide into oblivion.

And it is not just their place on the NSL table which is under scrutiny.

All Whites coach Mick Waitt is expected to name a squad to play Iran in the next couple of weeks. Some Kingz players are in danger of playing their way out of contention.

Dugdale was far from happy with last week's 5-0 away loss to Perth Glory.

But he is not looking for excuses.

"There is not a lot you can do from the sideline when guys who are supposed to be intelligent don't do what is asked of them," said Dugdale. "Sure, there were a couple of poor refereeing decisions which contributed to a couple of goals but it goes deeper than that."

Dugdale wants his players to refocus and get the energy and enthusiasm back.

"They have been very flat in the last two games."

While acknowledging the trip to Perth - the longest in club football worldwide - is difficult, Dugdale refused to use that as an excuse.

"A trip like that is no excuse for not doing the basics. We know we have to go there. So get on with it.

"Rather than worry about the travel, they should work out how to stop conceding silly goals. You can look at systems all you like but if you don't defend properly you will get punished.

"It beats me how a team which prided itself on the best defensive record in the league is suddenly giving away silly goals.

"Against South Melbourne, Sydney United and Perth the workrate was not there. Players need to have more determination and passion than the opposition if they want to win.

"You can have all the ability but if it stops there you are not going to be much use to anyone."

Not surprisingly, with a full squad to select from, Dugdale has rung the changes.

Patricio Almendra and James Pritchett return from injury and Raf de Gregorio from suspension and go into the starting line-up in place of Jonathon Taylor, Darren Young and Paul Urlovic.

Almendra's return is a key.

Without the mercurial Chilean, the Kingz attack has lacked, if not direction, at least the spark to make things happen.

"He does that," said Dugdale. "But we also missed Chris Jackson and Raf de Gregorio when they were suspended.

"There is no point dwelling on things like that. You have to get on with it. Some players have been given their opportunity. They haven't taken it.

"With players like Harry Ngata and Jackson you never question their workrate. Others don't give you the same.

"They can't depend on [goalkeeper] Michael Utting to save them all the time."

Of the impending All Whites selection, Dugdale said: "If the players don't perform for the Kingz he [Waitt] is not going to look at them."

The Kingz had a midweek game in which Pritchett, who has been sidelined with a dodgy hamstring, got through to win back his place.

His mobility on the right flank should bring back some of the spark which has been sadly missing.

The friendly also gave Chilean defender Mauro Donoso more game time as he prepares to join the Kingz for next week's away game with leaders Olympic Sharks.

"He is raring to go.

"Having the three or four weeks here has helped his English and got him better prepared."

That is in the future. Tonight the priority is three points.

Kingz: Michael Utting, Jonathan Perry, Hiroshi Miyazawa, Mark Atkinson, James Pritchett, Raf de Gregorio, Chris Jackson (capt), Mark Burton, Andy Vlahos, Patricio Almendra, Harry Ngata. Substitutes: James Bannatyne, Steven Turner, Paul Urlovic, Jeff Campbell.

Kick-off: 7.30pm.