Tauranga football fans will get the chance to see WaiBOP United in action with the team set to play a match in Mount Maunganui.

Although a date or opponent is yet to be confirmed, WaiBOP United chief executive Mark Christie confirmed one of the seven games will be played at Links Ave home of Division One club Tauranga City United.
WaiBOP will play a match on Links Ave. Photo: File.

'Of course it's a WaiBOP team, so we draw people from both the Waikato and Bay of Plenty,” says Mark.

'So we try and get some games over [in the Bay]. Playing at Links Ave is a good way to give back to the local community.

'They come out to support the team pretty well and Tauranga city do a good job helping us. We try and get the clubs involved.”

WaiBOP United will play five games in Hamilton, one in Mt Maunganui and one in Taupo.

'We're excited that, after being such a superb FIFA U-20 World Cup venue, FMG Stadium Waikato will play host to four of our Hamilton matches,” Mark says.

'Everyone one who attended the U-20 World Cup will appreciate what a wonderful football venue FMG Stadium Waikato is, from the facilities for fans to the playing surface.”

The fifth match will be played at Melville United's Gower Park and Taupo's Owen Delany Park will host the other match.

WaiBop United coach Peter Smith says he is looking forward to his third season at the helm of the ASB Premiership franchise.

After finishing fifth last year Peter says this season could be one of their most competitive in a number of years.

'Everyone has a bit more money to spend so it will be interesting to see how that influences player recruitment as well movement between the teams,” Peter says.

'It's a challenge for franchises such as ourselves, but knowing the standard is going to be better is something that drives me to try to get WaiBOP United to be better as well.”

He says this year's squad could look a lot different to last season.

'We know we don't have the largest budget in the league and, given our relative success last summer, I'm fully aware that some of our players will be on the shopping lists of the Premiership's big hitters,” Peter says.

'That's life. My job is to build the best playing squad I can, with the resources available, and then create a culture within that squad that gets the players to work hard for each other. That gives us the best chance of picking up results.”

Despite the challenge of trying to form his squad Peter is optimistic of building the squad he needs.

'What I do know is that only a maximum of 14 players can make it on to the field for each team each weekend,” he said.

'With one team less involved in this season's ASB Premiership, that means there are 14 less spots available. While we can't offer fat signing on bonuses we can offer opportunities for good players to play, along with the chance to play at some first class venues within this region.”

Peter is expected to announce his team at the end of September.