Beleaguered New Zealand Knights 'embarrassing'

Now even the NZ Herald is calling them the "Beleaguered New Zealand Knights"! Brilliant.

In the latest twist in the tale of our favourite under-performing football club (won 3, drawn 6 and lost 28 of their 37 matches since the A-League commenced last year) it seems their license is to be revoked (license to shoot? never really had one to start with, did they?), and that the Football Federation of Australia looks likely to hand over running of the club to New Zealand Soccer in the short-to-medium term while new owners for the club were found. From the Herald story...

Speculation is mounting that the FFA snatch back ownership of the Knights' licence with five weeks remaining in the A-League season, as they did with the Perth franchise in March.

The Sydney Morning Herald today said the FFA's patience with the ownership and direction of the under-performing Knights had run out. It would make its move to give potential new owners as much time as possible to bid for the franchise next season.

NZS chief executive Graham Seatter had no idea when or if the FFA would claim back the licence but confirmed he had been asked less than a week ago if NZS would be prepared to assist in the running of the club until their final round match on January 21.

"Why wouldn't we?" Seatter told NZPA.

"At the end of the day it would be an embarrassment if a New Zealand team defaulted at the end of that competition.

"We're committed to make sure that doesn't happen."

Knights management were unavailable for comment this morning.

To the new owners: can we just get more kiwis playing in the side? If a bunch of 'technically limited' NZ amateurs can put on a semi-respectable show at the World Club Champs (losing 2-0 to African champs Al Ahly), then surely we can put together a mostly professional local team that can compete with some Aussie clubs? Surely?