Soccer: No Knights to remember

Although the season is not even halfway through, already the New Zealand Knights post-mortems are being conducted.

Not enough ability, not enough skill, not enough passion, not enough goals and, perhaps most significantly from a New Zealand football point of view, not enough Kiwis.

There is little doubt football fans would have little trouble supporting the Knights, whoever they are made up of, if they were winning. After all, everyone loves a winner.

But with 15 imports in a squad of 20 players, there seems little ostensible benefit for football and footballers in this country as the Knights continue to stumble their way through the season. Compare that to the Australian sides - Queensland and Perth have four imports each, while the Central Coast Mariners have none.

Coach John Adshead made no secret of the fact he was likely to sign a whole swagger of imports when he took the job early this year, citing results as more important than development of the game in this country. The problem, and it is a big one, is that results haven't been forthcoming - eight losses in nine games, four goals for, 19 against.

With the exception of perhaps Darren Bazeley, Zenon Caravella and John Tambouras, who haven't looked out of place in the A-League, the imports have failed to deliver.

It's little wonder the rumour mill has been in overdrive about Adshead's hold on the top job. But he made his own bed by signing 16 of the 20 players and it is clearly hurting New Zealand football's favourite son that his reputation and credibility are being tarnished by his side's lack of results. It might be more than just coincidence that all five Kiwis were included in the squad to face Sydney on Friday night.

Perhaps a little worringly, most of the current Knights are believed to be on at least two-year contracts, meaning the majority will more than likely be back next season unless they are released and paid off.

When you cast an eye over who might have been available to play for the Knights, nearly half of the All Whites side that performed so admirably against Australia in London in June could have been enticed this season.

Striker Brent Fisher was released by German side Energie Cottbus and, while he came close to picking up a contract with Scottish Premier League outfit Livingston, is now plying his trade in the New Zealand Football Championship (NZFC) with Canterbury United.

Similarly, Leo Bertos was released by League Two outfit Rochdale at the end of the last English season only to be picked up by Chester, where he is sitting on the bench.

Tim Brown is playing in the lower leagues in the US with Richmond Kickers; Shane Smeltz failed to pick up a league contract in the English summer and is playing non-league with AFC Wimbledon; Michael Wilson has returned from the US and will play for Team Wellington in the NZFC once he recovers from injury; Raffaele de Gregorio recently completed a season in the Finnish league with HJK Helsinki and will also join Team Wellington; while Craig Wylie will turn out for Waitakere United.

Promising young defender Steven Old might also have been enticed to stay in New Zealand to play professionally, rather than take up a scholarship in the US.

It's understood some of these players were offered trials with the Knights but declined because of the difficulty and expense of returning to New Zealand.

Combined with the likes of Danny Hay, Noah Hickey, Glen Moss, Cole Tinkler and Jeremey Brockie, who were all in Friday night's squad against Sydney FC, the Knights could have been made up of 75 per cent All Whites, which would have meant they'd have been training and playing together on a daily basis, making it less of a problem that the national side is struggling to find meaningful fixtures to complete a 2006 international programme.

The Knights will win more games this season, it's the nature of football, but with a seven-point gap already to the second-bottom side, it's one hell of a mountain to climb against seven sides that stand out for how evenly matched they are.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY