Soccer: New Knights coach prepared to look abroad for players

New Zealand Knights coach John Adshead has no qualms about playing a team of foreigners if it brings success.

In the past the Kingz, as the club was formally known, had a large smattering of Kiwis and while Adshead would love that to be the case again, he will not be swayed by national loyalties.

"If I can find 20 Kiwis good enough to foot it in this league, then I'll play 20 Kiwis," he explained, "but if I can only find two, then I'll only play two.

"At this moment, it's results oriented; it's not about being nice and trying to prepare a New Zealand team."

While these might not be the words budding Knights players from New Zealand would want to hear, they will be given first shot to join the four players already signed for the inaugural Australian A-League, which starts in August - Kiwis Danny Hay and Noah Hickey, along with Australian Danny Milosevic and Englishman Darren Beazley.

Under new league rules, there are no restrictions on the number of foreigners allowed at each club.

Adshead will spend the next six weeks scouring the country for domestic talent in the National League before putting on a series of trials for foreign-based players in mid-March.

"I'm already answering squillions of letters from players overseas and I'm telling them that if they can find their way here for a trial in March, we'll give them a shot because a player who pays their own way to get here tells me they're committed to playing for this club," he said. "I'm not interested in a player who says 'send me an airfare' and I'm not going to take on a player sight unseen.

"There are certain people around the world who I have deep respect for and I hope if they send me anything it would be well worth looking at, but I'm going to tread very carefully around agents. Players who want to work through an agent, the path will be more difficult for them."

Adshead has certainly hit the ground running since his arrival in the country last Monday after spending the past seven years overseas and the last five in Oman, where he took up a coaching development role.

His connection with the Middle East means he could dip into their burgeoning talent pool.

"I've got plenty up my sleeve but I'm not thinking that way until I've seen what's out there," he said. "If I've got two or three players in the Middle East who are better than what's available, then I'll bring them out."

Adshead hopes to start pre-season training in mid-April before having everyone on board by June 1.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY