Birko sign Scholsie

2018 has already seen some massive signings in the January transfer window. Coutinho to Barcelona, Van Dijk to Liverpool, Sanchez to United, Newick to Arsenal (he wishes!) and now Scholsie to Birkenhead?!

Well...kind of.

Below we profile the man taking the Presidents reigns at Birko, Scholsie look-a-like, Neil Coventry.

Where are you from? I’m originally from Southport, near Liverpool, but studied Sports Science at Loughborough University. I moved to New Zealand in 2006 after a couple of years working in the USA for www.soccer.com and I currently work full-time in the Sport & Recreation sector.

How long have you been at Birko? I started playing for the Reserves in 2007, before playing my way down the grades to Div 1 and Div 2. This year I’ll be making my debut as a ‘relatively youthful’ member of our new Div 1 Over 35’s team – Birkenhead Beer Spot.

Why did you join Birko? Birkenhead is a peninsula of Liverpool and as a big Liverpool fan (I appreciate the irony given I look like a Man Utd legend), I thought it would be as close as I’d ever get to playing for the reds. When I first moved to Auckland, it was the obvious choice and I bought a house in the Haven about five years ago. I’ve been lucky to meet some great people who have become good friends.

How long have you been on the committee? I got involved at the same time as our outgoing President, Dave Newick, some 8-ish years ago. I served a couple of years as club Secretary, but over the last few years have been volunteering in more of a project capacity, working on things like fundraising and the new website. In Gaz, Sian, Ross, Jaron and Maarty we are lucky to have an awesome management committee, supported by a wealth of volunteers and great work on the field, led by Hobbo.

What are your goals for the club? The club already has a Strategic Plan that sets our direction through to 2020. This guides everything the management committee do and what we prioritise. We’ve made some good progress against our targets, but there is still much to do. We got some great member feedback prior to finalising the current plan and I’d encourage all members to take a look if they’ve not seen it before.

What is important to you in your new role? Two things stand out. Firstly, the need for clear communication to members about management committee objectives and secondly, the need to understand how we can best use the skills, energy and passion of our awesome members to deliver those objectives together.

So how can people help out? Many people are a bit scared of ‘committee’ roles as it’s often unclear what the role and time commitments are. I’m a big advocate for ‘project’ roles that have a clear objective, timeframe and budget, that allow volunteers to know what they are getting themselves into before they start. Some of these projects include:

• Budgeting – The club has been using Xero for a few years now, but a greater level of data analysis of our programmes, events and competitions is needed to ensure we can track performance against cash flow projections. Someone with a strong accounting background could add great value on that front as we look to set targets for the year ahead.

• Website development – We’re looking for someone with a web development background to take our website to the next level. It is much improved from recent years with real-time NRFL league table, social media feed and programme content, but is still a little slow to load and its SEO profile needs optimisation.

• Facility development planning – Like many clubrooms across Auckland, our home at Shepherds Park was built in the 1960’s. It’s critical that we look after our home, as it would cost millions to replace. We welcome people with the necessary skills to help plan for future renovations, which may include but are not limited to improved storeroom fit-out, changing room upgrade, kitchen/bar and deck upgrade.

• Regional Sports Trust liaison – Harbour Sport have identified Beach Haven as one of their targeted Communities of Activity for 2018. Over the next year we are looking to build stronger club-school links and improve our engagement with the changing demographic of Kaipatiki. A club liaison is needed to drive our collaboration with Harbour Sport and to pilot some of the new strategies they recommend.

• Coaching – Our junior and senior teams rely on the 100+ volunteer coaches who give up their valuable time every week. The Management Committee’s commitment is to create a network of support and education, to give our coaches the skills and confidence to make a difference in the lives of our playing members.

• 100 Club – For those that don’t have a lot of time but want to support the club please check out the 100 Club link to see how a little contribution can make a big difference.

• Other Projects – On every junior and senior enrolment form there is a box for you to write down what you do or, skills you have that could help the club. The more we know about you, the easier it is to shoulder tap and get projects moving. Everyone has something to offer!

Are there any exciting projects or announcements on the horizon? Yes. We hope there are a few more exciting announcements to come in the next couple of months, but projects that are top of mind right now include:

• New apparel deal – Prior to Christmas we began a tender process to investigate options for a club kit supplier. After submissions, presentations and evaluation it was felt that the Kappa tender aligned most strongly with the clubs needs and aspirations. We are currently in the process of setting up a new online merchandise store, but will make a formal announcement and kit launch shortly to show members the new designs and the range of off field apparel available.

• Bank seating – We are currently working with the Kaipatiki Local Board to look at the installation of tiered seating along the grass bank, between the dugouts on field one and the car park. This would have little/no impact on existing trees, have a universally accessible design and enable people to get off the path (when the bank is soaked) to allow park walkers to pass.

• Admin support - We’re probably the largest football club in New Zealand not to have a club administrator. Through a combination of reducing our debt (over many years), grant funding and $10 player levy in 2018 and beyond, we are now in a position to take on some paid administrative support. We believe this will significantly improve our levels of service to members and allow the committee to invest more time in strategic rather than operational issues. Applications for the role closed in January, with some strong applicants, so watch this space!

How can people get hold of you?

Email is the best way - neil@buafc.org.nz. Feel free to ask any questions or flick through any ideas you may have.

Finally, who’s your footballing hero? Easy…big Jan Molby, the Danish midfielder who played for Liverpool in the 80’s and 90’s. He didn’t run much but never gave the ball away. It's fair to say the way I play bears some similarity!