Don’t expect Wellington Phoenix owners to splash the cash as they look to bolster the squad ahead of the next Hyundai A-League season.
Don’t expect Wellington Phoenix owners to splash the cash as they look to bolster the squad ahead of the next Hyundai A-League season.
Businessman Gareth Morgan, a board member of the Welnix consortium that took over the club from Terry Serepisos at the start of the 2011-12 campaign, has ruled out writing the big cheques to bring marquee players to the club.
The consortium’s long-term view is to build the depth of talent from within New Zealand by establishing a ‘football finishing school’ for under-20s.
That initiative will start in June when eight players aged 20 and under will be based in Wellington and will train and play with the Phoenix and will also turn out for ASB Premiership side Team Wellington.
But in the short-term Morgan acknowledges that the owners will need to buy in players to increase the depth of the squad – which at one stage this season was reduced to just 16 fit and available players – but he is adamant they won’t be bringing big-name signings with big wage demands to Wellington.
“This initiative won’t solve any issues for the season coming up and we will have to contract new players, there is no doubt about that,” Morgan said.
“But I would just like to temper that by saying I don’t think – and I don’t think any of the other owners believe – that the way to a sustainable, successful club is to write huge cheques for marquee players. I think that’s nuts.
“It might put a few bums on seats in the short-term, but you just do not build the depth that you need to be a sustainably, successful club that way. We will avoid that because, apart from being tightwads, we don’t think it’s sensible.
“Look at Sydney. Look at Melbourne Victory – they didn’t even get to the finals – and they’ve spent the big bucks. We don’t want to go down that route.”
So far Andrew Durante, Tony Lochhead, Manny Muscat, Ben Sigmund, Lucas Pantelis, Leo Bertos, Stuart Downey, Paul Ifill and Mirjan Pavlovic are the only current players contracted for 2012 and beyond. Glen Moss recently signed for three years from the defunct Gold Coast United.
Tim Brown has retired and Chris Greenacre, Mark Paston, Daniel, Tony Warner, Brent Griffiths, Nick Tsattalios, Vince Lia, Nick Ward, Cameron Lindsay, Dani Sanchez and Alex Smith are all off-contract.
Herbert has indicated he would like to keep Paston, Lia, Sanchez, Smith and Lindsay. Greenacre – who also doubled as an assistant coach this season – is about to start discussions with the club about his future, while Daniel has also stated a preference to remain in the New Zealand capital.
In the short-term strengthening the midfield and forward stocks will be done by bringing players in from elsewhere. But in the future Morgan hopes the pathway will be a more local one.
“We’ve got to find a New Zealand solution that’s good for the Phoenix and good for the amateur game in New Zealand.”
