Soccer: Knights chairman dismisses rumours

Anthony Lee

Knights chairman Anthony Lee insisted last night it is "business as usual" amid a swirl of rumours over the future of New Zealand's flagship club.

The sudden resignation of manager John Adshead on Monday led to speculation more changes were likely at the beleaguered A-League franchise.

Federation Australia head of operations Matt Carroll was in Auckland yesterday for meetings with club officials. Knights owner, British-based businessman Brian Katzen, is also in Auckland.

However Lee reckoned the speculators had put two and two together and made seven.

Lee was fishing at Tutukaka yesterday and is not expecting to meet Carroll, who is due back in Sydney tomorrow.

"There's no major controversy at the Knights or I wouldn't be here," he said last night.

Among the claims doing the rounds yesterday were:

* Katzen is preparing to sell the club, which finished a distant last in the inaugural season of the A-League.

* Federation Australia is in the market to buy the franchise, then put it up to the highest bidder.

* Knights players had been told the club was about to be sold.

* A consortium of New Zealand businessmen is looking to ensure it stays in New Zealand hands.

Lee said Carroll visited all A-League clubs at regular intervals. It made sense for him to come to the Knights when majority shareholder Katzen was in Auckland.

Katzen's visit also had nothing to do with Adshead's resignation. It had been planned for some time.

Adshead's announcement was pure coincidence.

Lee was emphatic that Katzen was not about to sell up.

"No, not at all," he said, although conceding "the club is far from happy".

"We had a terrible first season. We've been taking a pasting from the so-called experts.

"We've got to batten down the hatches and get on with what we know we've got to do at the club to get it right."

Carroll told the Herald a month ago that off the field the Knights "have problems".

"We have said if you [club administration] can't do the job you should step aside," Carroll said.

Lee confirmed the club has been looking for people with fresh expertise to enhance its operations.

He knows the club will struggle to shake off months of bad publicity, going back to its dismal 11-game losing streak during the competition, until good things start happening on the field and that won't be until the second A-League season starts in September.

"When Brian and I said we were going to get involved, we knew it wasn't going to be easy. The reality is it's not going to get any better until we get results on the park."

Adshead yesterday made it clear he had been ready to retire two years ago after several years working in the Middle East.

"I never really intended coming back to work, but the Knights job was a good challenge to come back to."

He was disappointed not to be leaving the game on a high.