AUCKLAND – New Zealand Football is set to cap a successful 2008 by announcing its first surplus in five years and aims to build on its momentum by seeking new ways to become the country’s number one participation sport for all ages.

NZF chairman Frank van Hattum said an unaudited surplus of $360,000 for 2008 after a deficit of $499,000 in 2007 – represented an $859,000 turnaround off the field and mirrored a year packed with on-field highlights.

The result was in line with assumptions in a financial recovery plan put to stakeholders across the country last year.

“The most satisfying thing about the way the sport has pulled together after a tough period is that the game continues to go from strength to strength,” van Hattum said.

“We had to make changes that cut to the core of how we deliver, but we are delivering and plan to deliver even more strongly in the years ahead.”

“New Zealand played over 50 matches last year and our international stock continues to rise with four different teams achieving results at Olympic Games or World Cups, and the All Whites qualifying for the Confederations Cup and also earning a huge home and away playoff for the 2010 World Cup.

“The U-17 Women’s World Cup captured the imagination of New Zealanders and was successfully hosted within FIFA’s budget. It was cost-neutral to us and the benefits to the sport, especially the women’s game, are huge.”

Looking ahead, van Hattum said he hoped 2009 would ultimately be remembered as the year New Zealand’s men qualified for their second World Cup, but NZF was intent on ensuring there were plenty of other developments to look forward to, both in and out of the public eye.

“It’s a good time to be a football fan in New Zealand.

“Football has momentum here and while the men’s build-up to the Confederations Cup in June and the World Cup playoffs in October will dominate the landscape, behind the scenes we will continue to seek out new opportunities to become the country’s number one participation sport for all ages, and to achieve significant growth in the women’s game.

“We’ll also review how we meet the changing needs of all participants from juniors and informal players right through to the elite level. This will include looking at different football offers, whether small-sided games, unstructured kick rounds or football festivals to name a few.

“Whatever can inspire people to get out and kick a ball be it at a local park or a fully-fledged game can only be good for people’s health, welfare and entertainment, especially in tough economic times.

“We’ve come through an extremely tough economic crisis within the game, have now produced a healthy surplus and remain extremely positive about where the sport is heading.”

Van Hattum said expenditure reduction and implementation of tighter business controls have been at the heart of the financial turnaround. He also acknowledged the support of Kiwibank, SPARC and the Oceania Football Confederation.

A $1.5m Kiwibank loan issued in March 2008 – with interest costs over the three-year term met by SPARC – helped ease NZF’s cash flow troubles after four consecutive years of deficits.

“Their help was tremendously important in getting us through a very challenging time but we’ve turned things around and are now meeting all our agreed financial targets, and our obligation to the game itself.”

New Zealand Football remained cautiously optimistic it could safely navigate the current recession.

“We expect increased competition for funding from gaming trusts in the current climate but with prudent management and effective spending we can still deliver on strategy and business plans.”

The support of football’s regional federations in collectively working on solutions to the common issues had been instrumental in rapid progress, and resulted in an agreed new strategy for the total game, not just NZF. A partnership agreement signed by all federations and NZF reflected a new way of communicating and operating and was fundamental to the game’s future success, van Hattum said.

Story courtesy NZF Media

Photograph courtesy Getty Images/NZF Media

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