Paying Players - this time Canterbury

Mainland Football federation chief executive Mike Coggan said he would be disappointed if clubs are paying players but he admits there are no rules to stop it.

Halswell United coach Graham McMann said he was concerned that clubs, including his own, were losing personnel to "clubs who are paying players".

McMann, an English coach in his second season here, said he understood the Mainland league was an amateur competition.

Coggan said Mainland was aware that player payments were being offered and said it had been a problem in football "for 30 years".

"It's something I don't condone particularly as we are administering an amateur game. But there doesn't seem to be any rules, either from Fifa, or New Zealand Football, to prevent it.

"When we want a rule to stop something like this, it isn't there. But when we don't want a rule, like the dual registration [edict] which stops players from being registered to both their school and their club, it is there."

The Mainland premier league campaign, set to kick off tomorrow, has been reduced from three to two rounds this season. Coggan said five of the eight clubs had sought the reduction on cost grounds based on tight funding.

"Wouldn't it be ironic if some of those clubs, who said no to a lengthier, more value-based season because they were feeling the pinch were now going out and paying players?

"I wonder now if we had decided to go with three rounds this year, how many of those clubs would have pulled out? That could be a question we have to pose later."

Coggan would prefer clubs to invest in quality coaching, player development and a longer league season. Payments at Mainland league level could lead to players having an inflated sense of worth and put pressure on Canterbury United when recruiting league players.

Most player movement has been between Christchurch clubs with only a few teams contemplating overseas signings.

But other leading coaches believe it is a waste of time and money to bring out imports for a 14-match campaign.

One quipped that "this is the only league where the pre-season is longer than the season". Most insiders are predicting a more even league this season with last season's easybeats Richmond Athletic relegated.

Harry McCosh, a long-serving coach now in charge of newly-promoted Christchurch United, said there would be "no easy games".

Nelson Suburbs co-coach John Brydon said the 2008 champions had lost nine players from last year, including player of the year and top scorer Joses Nawo and fellow Solomon Islands international Kidston Billy. They have two more Solomons imports arriving next week but believe this will be a "rebuilding season".

Most pundits have tagged Woolston Technical as early favourites because of their seven Canterbury United players and the signing of seasoned coach Keith Braithwaite who faces several selection dilemmas.

Ferrymead Bays has also bolstered their squad with Canterbury United's best player, Daniel Terris. Burnside have also been active recruiters, attracting several new faces including former Scottish professional Stuart Kelly as a player and club coaching director.

The loyalty factor still exists at some clubs with Nomads United duo Gareth Rowe and Jordan Buchanan opting to stay at Tulett Park under new head coach Kevin Calder. Canterbury United centreback Matt Boyd has also chosen to stay with Western which has lost three senior players to work commitments.

What kind of money would Stu Kelly be on?Because im sure he will be getting paid