Wellington Phoenix forward Kosta Barbarouses is confident the club can be challenging at the top of the Isuzu UTE A-League again this season and believes a new-look playing style can help them do so.
The Phoenix head into the 2024-25 season off the back of a club-best campaign last term which saw Wellington finish second in the regular season before then falling agonisingly short in the Semi-Finals.
Famed for their defensive prowess in the previous campaign under then rookie head coach Giancarlo ‘Chiefy’ Italiano, Barbarouses believes fans can expect a different approach from the side this season starting on Sunday when they host Western United at home.
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“I mean, it’s also been a bit more about trying to press as well from the front,” said Barbarouses when asked how the team will set-up differently this year.
“One of our strengths last year was defending our box and sort of having a good defensive shape.
“But you know, like Chiefy said, we want to evolve from that and get better with the ball so it’s good for me.
“The longer we have the ball obviously the more, theoretically, chances I’ll get to score. So I’ve been enjoying that and getting into spaces where I can in turn as well. So it’s been really good.”
The ‘Nix ultimately paid the price for success in 2023-24 with a whole host of the club’s top stars opting to take up lucrative moves overseas after many enjoyed breakout seasons.
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Among those to leave were reigning Isuzu UTE A-League Goalkeeper of the Year Alex Paulsen who, having secured a move to Premier League side AFC Bournemouth, ultimately ended up back on loan at new rivals Auckland FC.
Furthermore, defender Finn Surman, midfielders Ben Old, Nicholas Pennington and Bozhidar Kraev and striker Oskar Zawada all sought the exit door from Sky Stadium but Barbarouses believes the departures have helped shaped how the club will play this season.
“I think we’ve added a lot of energy to the team. Obviously the guys that did well for us last year, the younger guys, have moved on, which, you know, you would love to see them maybe stay.
“I think Chiefy and the club recruited really well and (I’ve) seen a lot of positive signs in training so far. I think if we just continue to believe in what what we’re trying to do as a team, and you know, try to improve, we can have another really good year.”
Of those to have arrived at the club during the recent transfer window were Japanese midfield duo Kazuki Nagasawa and Hideki Ishige, two players Barbarouses believes will make a big impact on the side this season.
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“Ishi (Ishige) and Kazu (Nagasawa), I’ve played a few games with them,” remarked the veteran when asked for his analysis of the two off-season recruits.
“Pretty much what you’d expect from the J-League. Really good quality, good touches, technically very good and hard working so I can’t wait to play competitive games with them.”
After enjoying his best goalscoring season in five years last year netting 13 goals, 34-year-old Barbarouses heads into the new Isuzu UTE A-League campaign expecting to be deployed in a slightly different role from that of last year, especially given the departure of Zawada.
“I always set a target of double digits and then reset again after that. Obviously, not a lot of times I’ve started as a striker, even last year I was playing a lot deeper to begin with, probably the first third or half of the season.
“Now I know I’ll be probably in that central striker role I definitely want to get to double digits as soon as possible, and then build from there.
He added: “I’m always trying to better myself and even improve at the age I’m at now and I always think you can always get better.”
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Already sat outright fourth on the Isuzu UTE A-League’s list of all-time goalscorers, Barbarouses also became just the eighth player to reach 300 games last year.
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