Otago United

Otago United

Full name	Otago United Football Club
Nickname(s)	United, OU
Founded	2004
Ground	Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin, New Zealand (Capacity: 30,500)
Chairman	David Lamont
Manager	Richard Murray
League	ASB Premiership
2010-11	NZFC 7th
Home colours Away colours
Current season

Otago United is a soccer club based in Dunedin, New Zealand.

It participates in the ASB Premiership. Their previous home stadium is Carisbrook in the South Dunedin suburb of Caversham which is the soon the replaced home of Otago Rugby. However for their first three seasons they were based at the much smaller Caledonian Ground (the traditional home of Otago Football), in the fourth season they were based Carisbrook before a season at Sunnyvale in season five. Starting from the 2011-12 ASB Premiership season the club will based in the new Forsyth Barr Stadium.

In the inaugural season (2004/2005), Otago United finished second from bottom but they improved to finish 5th out of 8 in the next season. However Otago United went from bad to worse in 2006/07 finishing in dead last and ending the season being humiliated 8-0 by league winners Waitakere United. The following season was slightly better finishing in seventh, ahead of Canterbury United, despite achieving the record for the least goals scored in around robin season. The shortened 2008-09 season saw the team secure 2 wins (both 2-1 over Canterbury United, Home and Away) and Two draws (3-3 at home vs Waikato and 1-1 vs Wellington Away). Despite the season been seven games shorter they still managed to score three more goals than the previous season.

History

Otago United was formed in 2004 to compete in the New Zealand Football Championship (NZFC). Based in Dunedin, Otago United, the sole representative from Federation 7, is one of eight teams competing in the NZFC. The club was formed by 21 clubs and 4 associations from within the geographic area from Timaru south to Invercargill.

Lutz Pfannenstiel, the only player to play professionally on every FIFA continent once called Otago United home.

Coaches

In the first season Otago United was coached by former Fulham Assistant Johan Koustall. The second season saw the arrival of former Irish International Terry Phelan to be the clubs player/coach. This lasted for four seasons until the end of the 2008-09 season where due to poor results he was replaced by his assistant Malcolm Fleming. Fleming coached for the 2009-10 and 2010-2011 seasons, but in August 2011 stepped down citing lack of funds to bring in players from outside the region, concerns that playing young local players could be detrimental, and the need for changes on the Otago United board. In September 2011 it was announced that Caversham AFC coach, Richard Murray would take the reins for the 2011-2012 season.

Current squad

2011-12

Head Coach: Richard Murray
Assistant Coach: Andy Duncan
Assistant Coach: Neil MacKenzie
Assistant Coach: Matt Scoles
Assistant Coach: Tim Horner
Physio: Dusty Quinn

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player 1 GK Osvaldo Rodriguez 3 DF Tristan Prattley 4 DF Jude Fitzpatrick 5 DF Matt Joy 6 MF Morgan Day 7 FW Regan Coldicott 8 MF Seamus Ryder 9 FW Donnie MacGregor 10 FW Ant Hancock 11 FW James Govan 13 MF Jackson Mitchell (Academy) 14 MF Sam Mepham

No. Position Player 15 MF Darren Overton 18 MF Harley Rodeka 19 DF Zac Rathbone 20 DF Matt Brook (Academy) 21 MF Mike Cunningham 22 GK Peter Evans 23 MF Joel Stevens (Academy) 24 MF Andrew Ridden (Academy) 25 DF Craig Ferguson 27 DF Tom Connor 28 MF Nick Hindson (Academy)

References

External links

• Profile at New Zealand Football Championship website
• Official website