Chelsea secure Auckland link

Chelsea have joined forces with Auckland club Football Kingz in a deal aimed at giving the big-spending Barclaycard Premiership giants direct access to some of the best rising talent in Oceania.

The Kingz, who play in Australia’s National Soccer League, will also be used as a breeding ground for Chelsea’s youngsters in a partnership which will open up further commercial opportunities for the London club.

“It gives the opportunity for our players to gain experience in a different environment playing in the Australian National League, gives Chelsea access to the best talent in New Zealand and Australia and opens up playing and coaching exchanges,” said Chelsea chief executive Trevor Birch.

“It will give a pathway for players in New Zealand, Australia and Oceania to a world-class football team.

“We have seen players such as Harry Kewell, Mark Viduka, Brett Emerton and others come through the region and New Zealand players such as Danny Hay at Leeds and Wynton Rufer at Werder Bremen.”

Newcastle are in talks with Chinese club Dalian about starting up a new team, Hong Kong United, as a joint venture while Manchester United have a long-standing tie-up with Belgian club Antwerp.

The recent Premier League Asia Cup was partly intended to give the three Premiership clubs – Chelsea, Birmingham and Newcastle – a foothold in an Asian market so dominated by Manchester United and Arsenal.

The commercial value of links with the rising football nations are crucial and Birch is confident the new partnership with Football Kingz will prove fruitful for the Chelsea brand name and their sponsors.

“The partnership will drive the Chelsea brand in the Australasian region, opens up merchandising opportunities and because the Football Kingz are 10% owned by Sky TV – as are Chelsea FC – we can exchange TV content, run competitions for both sets of our supporters and add value to our sponsors such as Emirates,” he said.

“The partnership will also continue to lift the profile of football in the region, especially with the driving force of Sky TV behind it.”