Wellington Phoenix star Paul Ifill is to undergo scans after hurting his knee and ankle in a pre-season match against local Wellington side Petone on Tuesday night.
Wellington Phoenix star Paul Ifill is to undergo scans after hurting his knee and ankle in a pre-season match against local Wellington side Petone on Tuesday night.
X-rays have already cleared the 32-year-old of any broken bones in his right leg, but doubts remain about whether he will be fit to start the Hyundai A-League season against Sydney FC – and Italian Alessandro Del Piero – in the New Zealand capital on October 6.
Ifill has been the club’s best attacking player since arriving in Wellington from Britain in 2009, notching 28 goals in 72 games.
But he missed the latter stages of the Phoenix’s 2010/11 campaign because of a nasty leg injury and last season missed several weeks with a groin problem.
If Ifill does miss the start of the season it will be a blow for Wellington as he has formed an excellent understanding with Jeremy Brockie in pre-season.
Brockie, who has made the move to Wellington from Newcastle Jets, scored eight goals on the club’s recent tour of India and paid credit to his burgeoning partnership with Ifill for his goal-scoring form.
Also in doubt for the season-opener is Spanish midfielder Dani Sanchez, who has had minor knee surgery.
Phoenix are also still on the hunt for another striker to join Ifill, Brockie and Benjamin Totori following Chris Greenacre’s switch to the coaching ranks.
The final two under-21 contracts have also yet to be confirmed but academy players Louis Fenton and Tyler Boyd appear to be the front-runners.
