Stalwart about to face former team-mates

Christchurch football stalwart Nathan Knox is about to face his former team-mates in a South Island derby with his United States career in limbo.

The 28-year-old midfielder will suit up for Otago United against his former Canterbury United team-mates in a New Zealand Football Championship (NZFC) clash in Dunedin on Sunday.

Knox has been playing professionally for the Minnesota Thunder in the United States League (USL) – one tier below Major League Soccer (MLS).

But he said yesterday that the league was in limbo and Minnesota was "struggling financially".

"At the moment, I'm just an Otago player. I will have to go back [after the NZFC season] and find out whether Minnesota is going to have a team."

Knox said the "whole league is having problems".

"The owners sold the league and some of the clubs weren't happy with the new owners and they pulled out."

The USL had effectively "split in half" and debates were continuing on its structure. Knox said there was uncertainty around which league was going to be considered as a second division.

"A lot of it is up in the air."

Eight teams, including Minnesota, announced plans last month to defect to a new North American Soccer League competition.

But Minnesota – based in Minneapolis – have since released all their players, making them effectively free agents.

Knox said there was talk about another group of investors having a team in Minneapolis's twin city, St Paul.

Minneapolis has been his home away from home for almost a decade.

"I've been in the US for nine years, and all but two of those have been in Minnesota."

Knox attended Macalester College on a scholarship and has had two stints with the Thunder. He has also played for USL rivals Seattle Sounders and Atlanta Silverbacks.

Knox, whose father Malcolm played national league football in the 1970s, grew up in Christchurch, attending Shirley Boys' High School. He played southern league football for Woolston while still at school and turned out for Christchurch City and Canterbury United in the national league. So how did such a Christchurch soccer stalwart end up in Otago colours?

Knox said he had friends on both squads and got on well with both coaches, Keith Braithwaite (Canterbury) and Malcolm Fleming (Otago). His decision essentially came down a positional preference.

"I had a little bit of a talk with Canterbury, but Otago came back and said they would play me in midfield. Canterbury wanted me to play up front. I just felt I wanted to play in midfield this season after playing in both positions for Minnesota."

He is playing in an attacking midfield duo with another former Canterbury player, Stu Kelly, with the experienced Andy Coburn in the holding midfield role.

Knox admitted the buildup to the South Island derby was a little different to previous years and expects a bit of banter on match day.

But Knox will not be alone. He is one of seven Christchurch-based players in the Otago squad.

He is enjoying the opportunity for an extended run after an injury-affected USL season.

"I tore my ACL and my MCL [cartilages] in my knee in the last game of the [2008] season at Minnesota.

"It wasn't a great season for me [in 2009]. It was only at the end of the season that I was starting to get some minutes [of game time]."

- © Fairfax NZ News