SH: Are you open to blooding more young Kiwis?
MR: Of course, but to be honest, I don’t believe that what they are doing in terms of the rules and regulations are helping them develop. The local Premiership competition for example, allows a lot of foreign players. I want to give locals a chance, and I offered six the opportunity to come in and trial. Some didn’t take it - they expected a contract automatically. Conversely, I had a guy called Joe Harris who was playing in Sweden who was prepared to pay his own way to come and trial.
Unfortunately he wasn’t successful, but I thought his attitude, the sacrifice he made, was a good example for a Kiwi player - he went above and beyond to try and get a pro contract. You have players representing New Zealand at senior level who have never played professional football. I can fill the whole roster with Kiwi players, but right now, the environment they come from (semi-pro football) - it’s going to take them a year to develop. It just doesn’t work that way in pro football.
Interesting comments here