By Bob Pearce / nzfc.co.nz                                                                    
                                                                     
YoungHeart Manawatu goalkeeper Ross Nicholson reckons he's fit enough these days to take out George Foreman but his target this Friday will be his old club Auckland City in a catch-up NZFC game at Kiwitea St.

Nicholson played more than 300 games and won three Chatham Cup medals with Central United, who are based at the Sandringham ground, and went to the FIFA Club World Cup in Japan with Auckland City.

As he returns to his old stamping ground, the big custodian prefers to look forward rather than back to his Auckland days after a season with YoungHeart Manawatu that has seen him win plaudits from his coach, Bob Sova, and a player of the month award in the league.

He lives in Auckland and has trained away from the team but he doesn't see that as a disadvantage.
 

"In many ways it's the best thing that could have happened," he said. "I can manage my own training sessions. I can do 1 1/2 to two hours on goalkeeping with my coach, George Smith, who used to be the Waitakere goalkeeping coach.
 

"I've also been doing some semi-serious boxing, moving on to sparring for 10 or 12 rounds."
 

Are there fights in prospect? - "Never say never."
 

George Foreman, perhaps? - "I reckon I could take him."

David Tua's always looking for opponents - "I think I'll give Tua a miss."
 

The Good Friday game has caused problems for coach Sova, whose team hasn't played for three weeks.
 

""The local winter competition starts on Friday and I've been getting calls from winter clubs wanting me to name my team before training. We have a responsibility to our sponsors to put out the best team," Sova said. 

"Our motivation will be that we were the last team in New Zealand to beat Auckland City and, if we can do that again, we can get ahead of Hawke's Bay and, in the nicest way, spoil their season."
 

Auckland City's problem may well be too much rather than too little football in a short space of time.
 

They come off a 2-2 draw with Waitakere United on Sunday that has put them out of contention for a repeat performance at the FIFA Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi.

On Sunday they have to travel to Christchurch to play the first leg of their NZFC semifinal against Canterbury United.
 

They will play several of their academy players against Manawatu and also give starts to some of those who have seen little action since Christmas, including goalkeeper Paul Gothard.
 

"We have to rest some players ahead of the semifinals and it is a chance for others to get first-team experience," said assistant coach Ramon Tribulietx.

"They have trained with us all season and I have every confidence in them."