The suspensions of key trio Andrew Durante, Manny Muscat and Ben Sigmund mean Wellington Phoenix will field an experimental line-up against United Sikkim in the opening match of their India tour on Friday.
The suspensions of key trio Andrew Durante, Manny Muscat and Ben Sigmund mean Wellington Phoenix will field an experimental line-up against United Sikkim in the opening match of their India tour on Friday.
Regular left-back Tony Lochhead will link with Phoenix newcomer Michael Boxall in central defence with Leo Bertos at right-back and school of excellence player Luke Rowe taking Lochhead’s usual position.
Fellow academy players Louie Fenton and Tyler Boyd have also been handed starts for the match which has been switched to Impahl.
Fenton will link with Cameron Lindsay, Alex Smith and Benjamin Totori in midfield with Boyd continuing his pre-season partnership up front with Paul Ifill.
Although the changes have largely been dictated by the bans and fines meted out to Durante, Muscat and Sigmund for their actions during a spiteful pre-season game against Newcastle Jets last weekend, coach Ricki Herbert said: “Tyler and Louie are getting starts on merit, and Cameron and Rowie have been rewarded for the effort they have been putting into training.
“They’ve been patient. Opportunities were always going to come on this tour and for them it has come in the opening game.
“It is a good opportunity for them and hopefully they will make the most of it.”
Herbert continued: “We are going into a real football area. A big crowd is expected and that will be good for the players, especially the young ones who haven-t been in that environment before.
“I will rotate the team a bit but still want them to play well and get results.”
Herbert said he was looking for a good 60-minute performance from the starting XI before he introduced fresh legs.
“We won’t hold back. I want them to play with high energy and keep up a good tempo,” Herbert added.
“(Sports scientist) Ed Baranowski has done a good job with them and we are following his plan.
“The weather (in the high 30s) is very demanding, but that is why we are here. I want the players challenged.”
