Giancarlo Italiano said Wellington Phoenix were enjoying their best start to pre-season in his seven years at the club after his youthful side stunned Championship side Wrexham AFC on Saturday night.
The Phoenix emerged 1-0 winners in an extraordinary upset win over Wrexham, despite fielding an academy side for a full 45 minutes at Sky Stadium.
After making 10 substitutions at half-time, 19-year-old Luke Flowerdew produced the winning goal just three minutes into the second half, sparking incredible scenes as the club’s academy kids held on for a famous victory in front of a crowd of over 25,000.
“For the club, it’s a fantastic result,” Phoenix boss Giancarlo Italiano said, via Stuff.co.nz.
“A lot of the issues we experienced last season, I feel like we’ve put them to bed and there’s a refocus, not only from the players but myself.
“The energy is back in the group, there’s real belief and irrespective of the result tonight I just wanted a performance.
“We have a couple more signings to bring in but if this is the foundation of the team then I think we’re going to have a really good year.”
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He added: “I said to the boys last week that this was the best start to a pre-season and this is my seventh year here. I’m really positive.”
The Phoenix finished 11th in the Isuzu UTE A-League last term and have since lost club legend and top scorer Kosta Barbarouses to the Western Sydney Wanderers, while established stars Alex Rufer, Tim Payne, Corban Piper and Paulo Retre all missed the clash against the Red Dragons.
Instead, the academy’s leading lights – and 17-year-old rising star Luke Brooke-Smith – took centre stage on a night that shone a light on the talent rising out of the Phoenix.
“I didn’t put too much pressure on our boys,” Academy boss and former Phoenix striker Chris Greenacre said, via Stuff.co.nz.
“It was more about the first team. They’ve been on the grass for a couple of weeks now and it was about that performance and how we could support that.
“Getting a result was beyond my expectations. The message was you never know, you might surprise yourself and they certainly did that.
“The more headaches Chiefy [Italiano] has will make the first team stronger because the players know they have that competition below them, and that’s our job as an academy.”
Wrexham finished their tour with a record of one win and two losses after Phoenix joined Sydney FC in producing an upset.
Red Dragons boss Phil Parkinson again spoke glowingly about the young talent currently emerging out of the Isuzu UTE A-League, suggesting their ability to ‘cover the ground quickly was there for all to see’.
“Similar to the Sydney game, the youngsters have just got so much enthusiasm and energy about them and you could see what a big night it was for them playing in front of 25,000 people,” Parkinson said, via Stuff.co.nz.
“The manager will be very pleased with how they’ve stood up to that change.
“Credit to them, it was a great atmosphere here, it’s a great stage to play and sometimes you’ve got to reflect on your own team but give the opposition credit as well.”
He added, via RNZ: “The athleticism and pace has stood out to us, and that’s what you need, as you progress up the leagues.
“It looks like the A-League is producing some young talent, which is fantastic.
“The key is run and power. Young players may lack the strength and physicality at this moment to play in Europe, but their ability to cover the ground quickly was there for all to see.”
