KEY POINTS:
New Zealand Football (NZF) will hand control of the Wellington Phoenix licence over to owner Terry Serepisos if it helps keep the club in soccer's A-League beyond 2011.
The long-term future of the Phoenix has been questioned after Asian Football Confederation president Mohamed bin Hammam said he did not support the club remaining in the A-League past 2011, when world governing body Fifa's approval for the club to be treated as a "special case" expires.
The status of the Phoenix in the Australian competition remains a complex issue.
Not only does the club reside in another country, but it also resides in another confederation following Australia's switch from Oceania to Asia in 2006.
Fifa has permitted the unique arrangement because New Zealand, in particular, and Oceania in general, have no professional leagues of their own.
NZF chairman Frank van Hattum confirmed his organisation was willing to hand over the licence to Serepisos if it helped simplify the matter.
"When the Phoenix were formed (last year), the Football Federation Australia (FFA) wanted us to have the licence - I guess to protect their interests - but Terry has proved to be a very capable owner, and it's not something we need to have," van Hattum told today's Sydney Morning Herald newspaper.
"At the moment we sublicense the franchise to the Phoenix, but if it makes a difference we would be more than willing to hand it over.
"We support Wellington Phoenix being in the A-League, because it's imperative for the development of New Zealand football."
Phoenix chief executive Tony Pignata had made it clear Serepisos was investing for "the long haul", and wanted the issue of the club's status addressed "as soon as possible".
"I guess these comments could be the catalyst to find out exactly where we do fit in," Pignata said.
"We've already been through the process of reapplying for our licence (post-2011), and part of our submission to the FFA was to transfer the licence from New Zealand Football to Century City Football (a Serepisos company).
"We view ourselves as an Aussie club which happens to reside in New Zealand. We want to be part of the A-League for the long haul, and we want to be part of Asia.
"In view of what's happened, this issue needs to be addressed once and for all, and it needs to be addressed quickly. You've got players, sponsors and fans, all wondering what's going on."
FFA chief executive Ben Buckley confirmed that Wellington were guaranteed their place in the A-League until 2011, and he was "aware of the concerns raised by the president bin Hammam".
Another organisation with a vested interest in the situation, the Oceania Football Confederation, has lent its support to the Phoenix.
"New Zealand is a member of Oceania, and New Zealand believe, as we believe, it is important to have a professional team in our region," general secretary Tai Nicholas said.
"We support the renewal of their A-League licence. Fifa have sanctioned it before, and we believe they can sanction it again. We'll definitely fight as hard as we can on their behalf."
- NZPA
