Starting Rotation Manukau Utd heap shame on league’s

S‘If they don’t act hard and fast, all credibility is lost when NZF starts talking about pathways for young players.’

ometimes you don’t have to break the rules to be in the wrong. Manukau United exploited a loophole rather than violating the laws of New Zealand Football’s National League, with two shameful substitutions 13 seconds into their controversial 3-2 win over Takapuna AFC in Auckland last Saturday.

But sportsmanship, ethics and living up to their own mission statements of proudly providing pathways for juniors, were all booted into touch by Manukau United in a sad moment for the competition that is meant to have a focus on development for younger players.

A quick catch up for anyone who missed this 13s of madness, that thrust the middle finger up to the spirit of the beautiful game. Manukau United controversially replaced their two required under-20 players at the first stoppage.

National League rules stipulate each team must start a minimum of two under-20 players – an NZF rule introduced in 2021 in an effort to help with youth development. But, the rule has no

regulations around playing minutes.

Maybe because NZF was confident a mature approach would be taken and that managers who are guardians of the game and their club’s development, would put their players first. If that was the case, its trust has been burnt, badly.

Sport is about winning, let’s not lose sight of that, but surely these substitutions could have been made later in the half?

Manukau United manager Rudy Mozr justified his decision, in a club video, due to so many players being away. ‘‘We had to do it,’’ he said. While arguing against Mozr’s statement would be easier than Chris Wood slotting goals against an under-9 side, in Mozr’s defence, Covid-19 remains a real threat for sporting teams.

Manukau’s game scheduled for Saturday against Hamilton Wanderers has been postponed due to an outbreak in the Wanderers’ squad.

But 13 seconds? Really? Regardless of whether the two young players, Leo Hall and Caleb Prasad, knew what was going to happen or not, how do you reckon their confidence is tracking?

Much was made of the two players that replaced Hall and Prasad, Thomas Golding and Maro Bonsu-Maro, scoring all three of Manukau’s goals but to offer some context, to a situation

advantage going into the final quarter, thanks to accurate shooting from Ellie Bird and one from Te Paea Selby-Rickit.

The Mystics never looked like mounting a comeback over the final 15 minutes.

The away win for the Pulse

drew them within six points of the Mystics with a game in hand and they now face the Tactix in Wellington tomorrow. There’s no rest for the Mystics, who play again today, making the short trip to Pulman Arena to take on the Stars.