“Football is about recruitment,” Ufuk Talay said during his first ever press conference as Wellington Phoenix head coach in May 2019.
Fast forward to now, and it could not be more accurate as the curtain comes down on an historic four-year tenure with the Phoenix, who will embark on a new journey under the guidance of his right-hand man Giancarlo Italiano.
Wellington fell at the first hurdle on Friday night, beaten 2-0 by Adelaide United in an Elimination Final. It signalled the end of Talay’s time with the Phoenix, while it was also a farewell for vice-captain Oli Sail, Clayton Lewis and Steven Ugarkovic.
But, 2022-23 was another fine example of the 47-year-old’s ability to recruit and rebuild.
Just look at this season for example. Talay – the most successful coach in the club’s 16-year history with three finals appearances in four years – lost key personnel in Gary Hooper, Reno Piscopo, Jaushua Sotirio, James McGarry and Gael Sandoval. But, the former Australia Under-20 coach unearthed foreign gems in Oskar Zawada, Bozhidar Kraev and Yan Sasse… to go with Steven Ugarkovic and Kosta Barbarouses among others.
It has been a theme under his watch.
Ahead of his maiden campaign in 2019-20, stars Sarpreet Singh, Roy Krishna, David Williams, Filip Kurto and Max Burgess departed. That is when Talay’s eye for talent kicked in as Hooper, Piscopo, Sotirio, David Ball, Ulises Davila, a future Socceroo in Cam Devlin before his Hearts move and Tim Payne arrived.
“It’s funny because he is such a matter-of-fact speaker and when he came into the pressers at the end of the night, we almost had to press him to get the emotional aspect out of him,” KEEPUP’s Matt Comito said on The Official Isuzu UTE A-League Podcast.
“It is an emotional night. he spent four years, he went abroad to a really challenging project and a challenging club. The only New Zealand-based team, the difficulties just start there and go from there.
“If you go back to his very first press conference, he said football is all about recruitment and if you look at his track record, bringing players through the door – the likes of Ulises Davila, David Ball, Reno Piscopo. He brought Cammy Devlin over to the Phoenix and sparked him into action. Not only that but a lot of young, local New Zealand products that he has either reinvigorated their All Whites career or gotten them into the setup.
“He has bought into the club’s identity as the only New Zealand-based team and he has relished that.
“He has relished all of the challenges. He’s never used it as an excuse or the difficulties as an excuse. He has faced everything head on.
“He has created a team, and he himself has been a person who Phoenix fans have been able to identity with strongly.
“You have to remember also the challenge that came his way when he took over from Marko Rudan. Sarpreet Singh, Roy Krishna, David Williams, these players all left that same season. He built those foundations again back up from the ground.
“Now that Talay is on his way out, Clayton Lewis, Steven Ugarkovic and Oli Sail. It kind of feels that history is repeating here.
“Now that Chiefy (Giancarlo Italiano) is coming in, he has a tremendous job on his hands to pick up the pieces again and mould the club into his image, which will be a really mean challenge that I’m sure he is eager to rise to.”
What next for a coach seeking a new challenge? He isn’t sure. He was still coming to terms with his departure after the final whistle on Friday night.
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But for Talay, his time in Wellington was a period of growth, not just as a club but as a coach.
This, after all, was his first senior managerial role.
And it was a place where his work did not go unnoticed or underappreciated.
Against Adelaide at Coopers Stadium, he wore a Pounamu Greenstone necklace called ‘He Rangatira’.
It was presented to him in Wellington by the Iwi (Māori community) Mana Whenua.
The He Rangatira stands for leader or chief. It is the representation of a hard worker, a person of integrity, strength and skill. It was chosen for him for the significance of his contribution to the Phoenix and the respect he is held in.
“One thing I hope is that I brought expectation,” Talay told KEEPUP before the Elimination Final.
“That’s something I believe I brought to the club,” said Talay as the ‘Nix feature in the finals for the third time in four years. “Regardless of resources at times. At the moment with where the club (is at), with facilities and the academy , they’re in a fantastic place.
“The reality is we get paid to try to win games and we try to do that in a certain way. That’s something I believe I brought – expectations. At the end of the day, it’s 11 v 11 and we go out and play. Sometimes if the opponent is better than you, you take your hat off to them.”
Talay added: “I think I’ve grown as a person. I’m more aware of myself as well. I have a lot more empathy at times I believe. Although I may not show it, but I do towards staff and players. They might not see it at times, but I do.”
As they say in Māori: Haere rā (Goodbye).
