Stuff Digital Edition

Phoenix looking to bolster attack

Andrew Voerman andrew.voerman@stuff.co.nz

Reinforcements are on the way for the Wellington Phoenix men as they return to their home away from home in Wollongong.

Coach Ufuk Talay said ahead of today’s clash with the Central Coast Mariners at WIN Stadium he was hoping to announce the loan signing of an attacking midfielder within the next fortnight.

That player is set to be unavailable until the next transfer window opens on January 14, by which point the Phoenix will have played 10 A-League Men matches.

But by getting the business done well in advance – and by making a loan signing – Talay hopes his new recruit will be able to hit the ground running.

He had previously indicated he was looking to add two visa players in January, one at the back, where Steven Taylor’s shock departure in August has left a hole, and one at the attacking end of the pitch, where the Phoenix are yet to properly replace Ulises Davila.

‘‘[Things are] very advanced with one of them at the moment. Hopefully in the next week or maybe 10 days, we’ll get that out there to you guys who that is and when they’ll be coming in,’’ Talay said yesterday.

‘‘That one is very advanced at the moment. The other one we’re still finding who the right player is.’’

Talay confirmed that the signing they were close to announcing was a No10 to replace Davila, but declined to offer up any more clues as to where the player would be coming from.

He did elaborate on why the Phoenix were now pursuing loan deals instead of permanent signings, and said it wasn’t down to budgetary concerns.

‘‘We want to sign players that are sort of like fringe players that are still training in a good environment and getting game time, but obviously not getting enough game time, so they want to come on loan.

‘‘Signing a free agent is good, but again, these guys haven’t been in a team environment. The seasons have started in Europe, so these guys have missed out on game time, so even if we do bring a free agent player in, we still have to get them to a certain point where they can actually start to play with us.

‘‘For me, the option of loaning is a better option, and at the same time, the way I look at it, we’ve got a young squad this year, but we’re also looking at what these young players are going to give us for the season after and what we need to build around them.

‘‘Bringing in a loan player doesn’t lock us in, where if we had to sign a free agent, they are always going to want an 18-month contract.’’

The Phoenix will be hoping they are still in the top six hunt by the time any new signings are available in January, and they can make that a reality by extending their current unbeaten streak as long as possible, starting today against the Mariners.

They finished last season by going 11 matches without a loss and began the new season with a 1-1 draw away to Macarthur FC last Sunday, when Gary Hooper’s first half penalty was cancelled out by a goal from Lachlan Rose at a set piece on the hour mark.

Fullback Louis Fenton is set to be available for selection against the Mariners, after making a faster-thananticipated return from a knee injury.

The match brings the Phoenix back to Wollongong, where they were based last season and are set to play at least four home fixtures this season, as a result of the Covid-19 border restrictions in place in New Zealand.

Whether that number will grow is set to depend on whether the Government is willing to compromise on its plan to replace the managed isolation system with a seven-day home isolation period from mid-January, and to only allow foreigners to enter under those conditions from the end of April, which makes week-in, weekout trans-Tasman travel impossible.

The Phoenix – and those involved in Super Rugby Pacific – will be hoping a bespoke arrangement can be sorted, but the Government has treaded carefully so far with regard to Covid-19 and will be wary of giving sports teams special treatment.

Speaking about his team’s return to Wollongong, Talay made clear just how big an impact their long stays across the Tasman were having.

‘‘It’s our home away from home, but it’s not really home at all, to be honest. I want to get back as soon as we can.

‘‘We’ve been away for such a long time. I don’t think it’s good for our club, being away this long too, I don’t think it’s good for our players, I don’t think it’s good for our fans.

‘‘We just want a bit of normality, we want to be training out of Martin Luckie, and to sleep in our own beds, and to prepare for a home game, where the opposing team has to travel to New Zealand.’’

Sport

en-nz

2021-11-27T08:00:00.0000000Z

2021-11-27T08:00:00.0000000Z

https://stuff.pressreader.com/article/282664690659264

Stuff Limited