Counting down Knights

Club boss happy to cool his heels in Coast’s Premier League

GOLD Coast Knights bankroller Adrian Puljich is far from fazed that his club has to wait until 2019 before they kick a ball in the NPL Queensland competition.

The Knights were successful in beating a consortium representing the remnants of Gold Coast City to join the NPLQ.

But rather than go straight into the elite state league alongside newcomers Gold Coast United in 2018, the Knights have to cool their heels for a season in the Gold Coast Premier League.

“That’s fine, that is very much what we expected,” Knights president Puljich said.

“It does not come as a surprise because Football Queensland made it clear they wanted us to spend another year getting our house in order and getting everything ready.

“It suits us just fine having another year in the Gold Coast Premier League.

“We’re from disillusioned by having to wait a year. We’re still going to prepare as though we’re in the NPLQ set up as a members club.”

So determined is Puljich to make every post a winner in the NPLQ he has resigned as chairman of Football Gold Coast, finishing his term at the end of the month.

“I have made that decision first and foremost to make sure there is no conflict between Football Gold Coast and the club and to give myself the opportunity to make this (NPLQ move) work,” he said.

Puljich also said that designated coach, ex-Gold Coast City boss Grae Piddick, has agreed to coach the Knights in the local Premier League next year to prepare for the NPLQ.

The Knights chief said he has estimated it will cost up to $500,000 to run an operation in the NPLQ.

“We’ll need that much to provide the necessary level of coaching and playing to be competitive,” said the man who has spent $350,000 of his own money getting the Knights headquarters at the Croatian Sports Centre – and the playing group – up to date.

“It’s a big commitment to be made but we’ve secured four large anchor sponsors that will be announced within the next few months, in the vicinity of $100,000,” he said.

Meanwhile, Gold Coast City people left fighting for the club’s survival have vowed to continue the battle to gain state league status in the wake of the Palm Beach Soccer Club surrendering its NPLQ licence.

A club statement read in part: “Gold Coast City FC reassures its stakeholders that this is not the end of the process and the club is actively seeking other opportunities, including a possible application to participate in the Football Queensland Premier League (second tier) competition in 2018.”