Soccer: Talks grind on over Herbert's role with Knights

Talks between New Zealand Soccer, the New Zealand Knights, Football Federation Australia and Knights benefactor Brian Katzen will determine Ricki Herbert's role with the Auckland-based A-League franchise.

NZ Soccer board members met in Auckland yesterday and had what chief executive Graham Seatter described as a "healthy discussion" over the role the All Whites coach might have with the club.

It appears the Knights are not too enthusiastic about involving Herbert but are under pressure from the FFA and Hyundai A-League league manager Matt Carroll to have a greater New Zealand presence - on and off the field.

"As far as we are concerned, the status quo remains," said Seatter yesterday. He added that talks would continue, possibly as early as today.

"Our position has never changed. We do not see Ricki taking the head coach or football manager role with the Knights but, in the right circumstances, we are keen to have him involved in some role."

Seatter said that by the end of the week he hoped to be able to confirm two international opponents for the All Whites before their June 4 clash with Brazil in Geneva.

"We had hoped to have Ukraine confirmed last week but that fell over," said Seatter.

"We are still talking to two other [non-World Cup bound] European teams and remain very hopeful they will fall into place."

If opponents are not confirmed, it is likely the national body will revert to a game or games against German Bundesliga clubs.

Herbert learned yesterday that he would be without key defender Ryan Nelsen for those matches. Nelsen will be sidelined for at least a month after breaking his left fibular in the first half of Blackburn Rovers' 2-0 English Premier League win over Charlton Athletic.

"It's obviously gutting," said Nelsen after watching his Blackburn side beat champions Chelsea 1-0 yesterday to secure their place in next season's Uefa Cup. "It's just put a dampener on the season, missing the last couple of games and obviously the All Whites tour."

Herbert is expected to name his 20-strong European touring squad on May 15. "Ryan has really established himself in the premiership and it would have been great to have him involved in the national team again," said Herbert. "To have him taken away from us is a massive, massive disappointment."

Seatter hopes to have all details of the tour in place before next week's annual congress at which time he will also reveal the association's financial position.

The Knights made another appointment to their coaching staff yesterday calling in former NZ Soccer manager of national development Kevin O'Leary as their fitness trainer and goalkeeping coach.