Wellington Phoenix fans are up in arms after a player whose professional career they started quit the A-League club – almost certainly to join rivals Melbourne Victory.
Teenage winger Marco Rojas, who lit up the A-League over the past two months with sensational performances to help the Phoenix to the finals, is expected to be confirmed as a Victory player within days.
Already the Phoenix have announced 19-year-old Rojas will leave the club when his contract expires on March 31, saying he was on his way to the Victory.
Victory coach Ernie Merrick denied on Monday a deal for Rojas had been completed.
The Victory were understood to be vying with Adelaide United to sign the attacker.
Rojas’ defection from the Phoenix has enraged their passionate supporters’ group, the Yellow Fever, who chipped in to pay for Rojas to trial with the club two years ago.
Convinced he was the best young talent in New Zealand, they funded a scholarship which proved successful, and he signed a two-year deal.
Now Phoenix fans are venting their spleen on internet forums and social media, some going as far to describe the youngster as “Judas” and vowing to give him a hot reception when he returns to Westpac Stadium with his new club.
Rojas only broke into the Phoenix first-team late in the season as a winger.
But he scored two goals and created any number of others with his speed and vision and was named A-League young footballer of the year for February.
Likely to earn his first New Zealand senior call-up for friendlies against China and Japan in late March, Rojas would have been a certainty for first-team football next season at the Phoenix.
Merrick, who is in Japan for the Victory’s Asian Champions League match against Gamba Osaka on Tuesday night, said Rojas had not yet been signed.
“We haven’t signed any new players so there’s no transfer,” he said.
“We don’t comment on any prospective signings. Never have, never will.”
Siena
Guest
Hi Paul and the other commentors here as well. I agree with your statement..."Lack of vision in not signing him for longer...epl". There have been a few articles penned by various jounalists BUT as I only look online at what the Dompost have to say is always NEGATIVE towards the Wellington Phoenix FC and quite frankly I cannot be bothered with their BIASED BLOGS and So-Called FOOTBALL WRITERS. This is my opinion ONLY: I think Marco Rojas' father/agent has a lot to answer for in regards to his son'd predicament now with the OUTRAGE of the YELLOW FEVER SUPPORTERS. A few months back whilst Rodi Rojas was still resident in Hamilton he gave an interview and it appeared to me to be aimed at Ricki Herbert...Rodi wanted to know how his son would be developed. I recall tweeting in my Twitter page that 'Daddy should SHUT-UP"! I had no idea then that he was also his son's AGENT. I felt that he should have been speaking directly to the NIX and in particular to the manager, Ricki Herbert and NOT via the media...Btw I no longer subscribe to the Dompost..I don't like the articles that Sam Worthington pens...Biased towards the NIX. Last Sunday the 27th February, 2011 I had bought the SUNDAY NEWS and there I read an EXCLUSIVE article by Simon Plumb. Rodi Rojas had given an interview which annoyed me to no end...I will quote from it as I cannot find it online to post. "ESCAPE TO VICTORY. MARCO ROJAS' inspiring Wellington Phoenix football career appears over. It seems the 19-year old whiz kid is about to sign a two-year deal with A-League rivals Melbourne Victory. His father and agent, Rodi Rojas, confirmed to SUNDAY NEWS that two European clubs- which he refused to name but ruled out English leagues-have been rejected. I SIENA STARTED TO COUGH AT THIS STATEMENT...Who on EARTH REJECTS...EVEN IF ITS DISCUSSIONS WITH TWO EUROPEAN CLUBS...THE WHOLE OF EUROPE IS WHAT I CALL...FOOTBALL HEAVEN! This leaves three A-League options, the Phoenix, Victory and Adelaide United. Revealing one deal is close to being signed, SUNDAY NEWS pressed Rodi on whether it was Melbourne. Through an enormous smile, he beamed: "I can't comment on that, I would like to but we've got to respect the Phoenix. They should be the first to know". ...I SIENA COUGHED AT THIS! I SIENA LAUGHED..Why then is Rodi giving an EXCLUSIVE interview to SIMON PLUMB, IF HE RESPECTS THE NIX! Rodi confirmed all the offers are similar, though it is understood Phoenix owner Terry Serepisos has done everything to keep the young star, tabling by far the most lucrative deal. But money is not the reason Rojas - who has been at the Phoenix for 20 months-wants out. "At the end of the day, it depends on the coach and what they want to use him for," Rodi said- "Everyone thinks Marco's a winger but he wants something different. He's an attacking central midfielder. We want to see if he can play there. "We're looking at where he can progress for the most, if you know what I mean" I SIENA take this statement to mean, RICKI I WANT MY SON TO PLAY "an attacking midfielder" position, thats how I interpret this statement. "The club has done a lot for Marco but we've got to look at the future." I SIENA say, ONE MORE SEASON WITH THE NIX WOULD HAVE AIDED MARCO NOT HINDERED HIM. During a 35-minute phone call last night with Rojas himself, the 19-year old gave little away but slipped when SUNDAY NEWS asked if the fans would understand why he was leaving. "It's a tough one but in the end it's my decision. It's not going to please everyone"...I SIENA says...Oh YOU GOT THAT RIGHT MARCO..."but I hope they understand," he said...I SIENA say...Maybe ONE DAY MARCO...HE HAS TO UNDERSTAND FANS NEED TIME TO GET OVER WHAT THEY SEE AS A DEFECTION! Rodi admitted to meeting with Victory staff in the same week Marco inspired the Phoenix to a 1-0 win at Hindmarsh Stadium. "I was a bit cheeky - I have done that. I did shoot over about three weeks ago just to have a bit of a talk to them," Rodi said. "But we've tried to make it his choice". I SIENA SAY...MORE THAN A BIT CHEEKY RODI...I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW WHETHER THE WELLINGTON PHOENIX CLUB KNEW OF RODI'S TALK WITH VICTORY STAFF...OR HE JUST WENT WITHOUT THEM KNOWING! SOUNDS VERY BEHIND THE BACK UNDERHANDEDNESS TO ME...I COULD BE WRONG, BUT I DOUBT IT...SOME RESPECT RODI HAS SHOWN TO THE NIX-ABSOLUTE JACK FROST! I have here a LINK to the FFA's Statutes on Player/Agents...and YES a "Parent OR Sibling is EXEMPT from...I shall let you all decide for yourselves....Take particular NOTE of TAMPERING 5.18 and 5.19 http://tinyurl.com/4agndb7 Cheers.
Paul
Guest
this is bullcrap. We paid for his scholarship! Lack of vision in not signing him for longer. He is one of the a-leagues brightest talents. If anything, he should be on his way to the epl. Paul - yellowfever contributor
French Fries
Guest
Grrrr
Derby County FC
Guest
They don't seem to be venting their spleens on here.