KEY POINTS:
The New Zealand Knights players are resolutely standing tall even if some face the threat of eviction before Christmas and at a time when club chairman/director Anthony Lee is apparently holidaying in Las Vegas.
Determined to sort out the mess that has threatened their futures on and off
the field, the players yesterday turned down an invitation to meet Football Federation Australia operations boss Matt Carroll.
They opted instead to talk to a representative of the Professional Footballers Association who took away their contracts for perusal.
Knights captain Darren Bazeley said the players are still at a loss to understand the events that led to last week's standoff, saying "[It] is all above our heads".
Bazeley said: "We are not legal experts and obviously have to take whatever advice we can get.
"We haven't been paid and some players fear they will be evicted from their apartments before Christmas.
"In any job, no matter what the situation is, you have bills to pay."
Last night there was a glimmer of hope with the PFA and FFA talking about an arrangement which would see payments due last Thursday being made by the FFA before Christmas.
It appears one sticking point is the name of their employer on the players' contracts.
After the licence was revoked last week, many assumed the contracts were between the players and Knights owners Octagon Sports. It now appears they are between the New Zealand Knights and the players.
That could be a problem, with the Knights now seen as insolvent.
"We had never heard of Octagon Sports until last week," said Bazeley.
On reports that the players had refused to play last Sunday's away game against Melbourne Victory, Bazeley said it was not that simple.
"It was never a case of not playing. We just wanted time to go through the contracts the FFA put in front of us.
"What they were proposing was that we should sign new contracts with the FFA through to January 21 [the date of the Knights' last game].
"In doing that, the players who still have time to run on their contracts ... would have had to agree to forgo any further claims. We needed legal advice and time to check it out.
"Eventually the FFA agreed we could play without signing the new contracts but by then it was too late as Ricki [Herbert, the stand-in coach] had found other players."
Bazeley said that as far as he knew, all the players would be available for training under Herbert on Boxing Day - the first day back after the agreed Christmas break - to prepare for the December 29 Hyundai A-League clash with Queensland Roar at North Harbour Stadium.
"We have spoken to Ricki and want to get on with it," said Bazeley.
Attempts to contact Lee yesterday drew a blank.
Meanwhile the players are desperate for answers - and their pay.
