The league opens with a battle of the Bombays as Auckland City travel to Waikato FC’s new Fred Jones home ground in Hamilton, while defending champions Waitakere United entertain perennial semi-finalist Team Wellington at Fred Taylor Park in West Auckland a day later.
Known as the New Zealand Football Championship for the past six seasons, the ASB Premiership concentrates the best amateur domestic football talent across eight teams but with an increased focus on developing emerging young players.
As part of closer integration with the ASB Youth League, all match day ASB Premiership squads of 16 will need to include two academy players while the minimum number of academy players in wider Premiership squads will increase by one to five.
The ASB Youth League, which alternates between an U-19 and U-20 league in line with the two-year FIFA U-20 World Cup cycle, will allow teams to field two overage players from their club’s Premiership squad for any match.
As for the last two seasons, the ASB Premiership will be contested over two full rounds with two-legged semi finals and a one-off grand final on April 16 or 17.
Waitakere and Auckland will again fight on two fronts also representing New Zealand in the 2010/11 OFC Champions League with an eye on qualifying for the 2011 FIFA Club World Cup in Japan.
Five members of the All Whites FIFA World Cup squad played in the 2009/10 national league, while another four including Chris Wood and Ben Sigmund have played in previous seasons.
Fellow squad member David Mulligan has been recruited by Auckland City and is due to make his ASB Premiership debut against Waikato.
“Many All Whites, Olympians, and age group players have come through the league in its six years,” said New Zealand Football CEO Michael Glading.
“The ASB Premiership will continue to be a springboard for players to reach professional environments and push for higher honours, but we now plan to raise the bar for the league on and off the field.”
“New Zealand Football have committed $450,000 over the next three years for that purpose and the involvement of ASB for at least the next five years will be crucial in reaching that vision.”
New Zealand Football were also working with the Wellington Phoenix to create the ASB Challenge Series to incorporate a Phoenix reserve team playing fixtures against ASB Premiership sides alongside the league.
“We remain committed to the principle of involving a Phoenix youth or reserve team in our national competition in the best interest of football in New Zealand,” Glading said.
Story courtesy of NZF Media.
For the full draws visit www.nzfootball.co.nz