A-LEAGUE - AUSTRALIA - NEWS

  

Wellington Phoenix still hunting for overseas striker as A-League season looms

The fractured world football market continues to stymie the Wellington Phoenix.

Coach Ernie Merrick had hoped the A-League club would've finalised their 2015-16 roster by now but securing an imported striker has so far proved easier said than done.

"In my nine years or so in the league I've discovered that it just gets more and more complicated to sign a player because there's just so many countries chasing players nowadays. Sometimes countries that we weren't competing with previously," Merrick said.

The Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Romania, Russia - Merrick's list went on. The United States, China, Japan, Korea, the Middle East.

Teams everywhere want a goal scorer and invariably have more money at their disposal than the Phoenix.

"One boy that we had a look at at one stage, before we we could have a proper look at him, he went to Azerbaijan and I thought: woah, things have changed," Merrick said.

"Frequently you also have to go through two agents now and not one, for a variety of reasons. There's lots of options now for players, even though they might not be top-level players, although some of them are.

"So we haven't got a signature yet and I will never change. I will never announce to our fans that someone's signed and is ready to go, until it's all been done and dusted."

Merrick will continue to do his due diligence on potential targets and hope that terms will be agreed to in time for the Phoenix's season-opener against the Newcastle Jets at Westpac Stadium on October 11.

"We've got it down to three and we're hoping to get one of them over the line. Mind you, I've been saying that for about three weeks," said Merrick.

The immediate priority is Sunday's clash with New Zealand A, in New Plymouth on Sunday. The Phoenix will stop to meet Whanganui-based fans on the way, as part of the club's commitment to acknowledging the people beyond Wellington that support them.

Then it's on a plane to Australia for Wednesday's FFA Cup round of 16 tie against Melbourne City.

"It's a very important game because it not only gives us another good A-League pre-season game and puts us under pressure, but this is the team that knocked us out of the finals [last season] and had us playing pretty poor football because of the pressure they put us under," Merrick said.

"I really felt that the boys let themselves down in that game because they're a much better team than they showed that day and we were all at fault there. But this gives us an opportunity to produce a really good performance against them and prove that's hopefully a one-off and we're better for the experience."

A number of Phoenix first-team regulars, such as Glen Moss, Michael McGlinchey and Louis Fenton, plus a host of their merging age-group stars, have been included in the New Zealand A squad for Sunday's match at Yarrow Stadium.

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New Zealand’s Best Footballers head to New Plymouth

The Wellington Phoenix will head to New Plymouth for a pre-season game against New Zealand A this August.

The afternoon game on Sunday 23 August at Yarrow Stadium will give locals the chance to see New Zealand’s only professional football team play against a New Zealand Football selection which will include current All White’s players.

“We got a great response from local football fans to the FIFA U-20 World Cup games at the stadium, so we’re thrilled to have some of New Zealand’s best professional players coming here so soon after the tournament to give local sports fans another chance to see live action on our home turf,” says Manager Recreation and Events Ron Murray.

Wellington Phoenix Head Coach Ernie Merrick is looking forward to taking his team to New Plymouth.

“The game against New Zealand A is an integral part of our per-season programme,” says Mr Merrick.

“It will give us an idea of where we are at and it is also good for New Zealand Football to get another game under the belt of domestic-based players. We have played New Zealand A in each of our last two pre-seasons and it has been well worthwhile.

“It is also an opportunity to let a football area like New Plymouth see the Phoenix players in the flesh.”

The Wellington Phoenix in the only New Zealand Football Club participating in the Australian Hyundai A-League and has played finals football twice in the last five seasons.

Both the Phoenix and New Zealand A squads will be in the region for three days before the game, and the public will have opportunities to see the players during community activities.

The game kicks off at 1.30pm on 23 August.

Brisbane Roar players’ contracts will be honoured if FFA has to take control of former champions

BRISBANE Roar players have been assured their contracts will be honoured if Football Federation Australia takes control of the A-League club.

It is believed some players had been concerned about their future if FFA took over the running of the cash-strapped outfit.

But after a meeting with FFA official and A-League boss Damien de Bohun after Wednesday night’s 1-0 trial loss to Melbourne Victory at Southport, the Roar squad are comfortable that their immediate futures would be safe under FFA control.

FFA does not want to take over, and will give Roar owners the Bakrie Group every chance to seal a mooted deal to sell the club to a consortium of Australian and foreign investors.

“Once we get through this difficult time, either (through) the takeover (from) whoever’s going to come in or the FFA, things will be on the up at Brisbane Roar,” coach John Aloisi said. “It’s a great club, with great support throughout Queensland.

“Ideally, we want (the sale) to happen straight away, so what we’re discussing is more football and not about the financial crisis or whatever it is.

‘‘We want to be talking about our football team and our football club.’’


A-LEAGUE 2015-16

ROUND 1 DATE HOME AWAY STADIUM Kick-Off (Local) Kick-Off (AEDT) Thursday, 8 October


Western Sydney Wanderers FC Brisbane Roar FC Pirtek Stadium 8:00 PM Friday, 9 October 2015
 Adelaide United Melbourne Victory Adelaide Oval 7:10 PM 7:40 PM Saturday, 10 October 2015
 Central Coast Mariners Perth Glory Central Coast Stadium 5:15 PM 5:15 PM Saturday, 10 October
 Sydney FC Melbourne City FC Allianz Stadium 7:30 PM 7:30 PM Sunday, 11 October 2015
 Wellington Phoenix Newcastle Jets Westpac Stadium 7:00 PM 5:00 PM Sunday, 11 October 2015