Firmly in the finals mix, scoring goals for fun, producing some eye-catching football and featuring some of the A-League’s brightest imports. No, it’s not Adelaide United, it’s the Wellington Phoenix.
The scenario is uncommon ground for the sole New Zealand representative in the A-League, yet it’s well deserved and proof that off-field management is starting to pay off.
Wellington often attract unfair criticism from fans across the Tasman, but they offer more to our competition than many people give them credit for.
The ongoing conjecture around their A-League license, due to expire following the 2015-16 season, is not helping either.
It’s well publicised that earlier this year every A-League club bar Wellington was handed a license extension until 2034. However, the reason Wellington missed out wasn’t down to FFA’s lack of confidence, it was down to complicated agreements set in place with the Asian Football Confederation.
Wellington, in case you didn’t realise, are a New Zealand team playing in an Asian competition. They are part of the Oceania Football Confederation, which doesn’t go down too well with the AFC. Securing a license extension is therefore not so straight forward.
The FFA want Wellington to stick around, and if they don’t they’re completely bonkers.
Gallop recently quipped that the “ball is in [Wellington’s] court” and that FFA were waiting to hear the club’s “long-term strategy” before handing them a renewed license.
Hardly helpful in dispelling rumours and certainly not giving credence to the role AFC has to play in the matter.
Wellington’s license simply has to be renewed. The club is on the verge of gaining a foothold in the competition after years worth of investment and hard work. Cutting them off now would be ridiculous.
When a consortium of businessman took over ownership from the embattled Terry Serepisos in 2011, they outlined an ambitious new direction for the club.
Rickie Herbert was controversially pushed from the managerial chair in 2013, eventually replaced with former Melbourne Victory man Ernie Merrick as the club chased attractive and attacking football.
Now, just more than a year down the track, Merrick and his owners are beginning to see the hard work turning into the desired results.
This season, they’ve kicked on. Six wins from 11, equal second in goals scored and equal fourth goals conceded. On the weekend, they leapfrogged a slumping Sydney FC into fourth.
Nathan Burns has become the quickest player in A-League history to reach 10 goals in a season, and it’s becoming harder for people to deny him a right to an Asian Cup spot, yours truly included.
The midfield duo of Albert Riera and Roly Bonevacia have provided the base for their system, the Spaniard with his cool and calm work in front of the back four and the Dutchman driving the team forward from midfield.
Andrew Durante appears evergreen in the centre of defence, while Michael McGlinchey has proved an inspired signing.
Then there’s Roy Krishna, the first Fijian to play in the A-League and the only Oceania representative that doesn’t hail from New Zealand. He’s scored five consecutive goals for the Phoenix, not bad for a bloke who only turned pro at 26.
Ernie Merrick has his charges firing on the field, and a playoff spot would go a long way in helping the ownership realise their ambitions. It’s the only thing that’s been missing thus far.
It’s off the field where the Phoenix have mainly proved their worth.
The ownership, with Rob Morrison and Gareth Morgan at the head, are more committed than two A-League owners that immediately spring to mind. They’ve invested in improving training facilities and increasing pathways for Kiwi footballers.
The introduction of a Phoenix youth team into the ASB Premiership for the first time is a huge step to implanting the A-League in the city’s psyche.
But for all the hard work off the field, success is always reliant on results. Supporters like to win, but have had little to cheer about in recent years.
Average crowds hovering between 7000 and 8000 are hardly inspiring, but it’s a good base and not at all reason for panic. If finals football returns to Wellington then the gates should get a healthy increase.
When Wellington were one game from the grand final in 2009-10, they boasted an average gate of more than 11,000 and pulled almost 33,000 to an elimination match against the Newcastle Jets.
Like the rest of the A-League they experienced an attendance slump in following seasons, which they have been unable to recover from. A wooden spoon in 2012-13 and ninth in 2013-14 hasn’t helped.
This season they’ve scored 12 times in five home games and are undefeated in Wellington since their Round 1 loss to runaway table-toppers Perth Glory. Away from home they’ve gone against the odds to perform despite the long hours in transit.
The signs are all there that Wellington Phoenix can not only work, but thrive.
When you have people like Mike Charlesworth and Nathan Tinkler in charge of A-League clubs, the Wellington consortium should be worshipped for their commitment.
Unfortunately, their license issues constantly throw a shadow over their future. Esteemed journalist Mike Cockerill penned an article earlier this year suggesting the television deal with Sky TV was a reason for Wellington’s shaky prospects.
With all due respect, that’s way off the mark. The TV deal is the FFA’s to negotiate and Phoenix management can hardly be held accountable for the paltry $200,000 per annum FFA receives for all A-League coverage.
With such a low figure coming into FFA coffers, the governing body should refuse releasing rights to Sky TV. With Sky TV holding exclusive live rights to the NRL, Super Rugby and All Blacks, putting the game on free-to-air could be a stroke of genius.
It would mean the A-League is the only football code available to the general public live, and the advantages should outweigh pulling in $200,000 a year, or at least force Sky TV into offering appropriate compensation.
A boutique stadium is another step that the Wellington consortium should be targeting, and indeed they have expressed a desire to move from the Cake Tin.
It will be interesting to see how Wellington’s three matches at the Hutt Recreation Ground go in February, when Westpac will be unavailable due to the Cricket World Cup. It has been touted for redevelopment to provide Wellington with a 12,000 to 15,000 arena.
Not only would the atmosphere be more enticing for unconvinced fans, showing off a packed boutique stadium would be a bigger selling point for television companies, rather than a two-thirds empty Cake Tin.
The FFA have to do everything they can to convince the AFC that the Wellington Phoenix warrant a football team in the A-League.
New Zealand football is important for Australia. Forget the traditional rivalry between the two countries, this ain’t rugby. Football isn’t big-time yet in either country, so working together should be the norm.
The aim for New Zealand Football should be to gain entry into the AFC. Having a Wellington side in the A-League strengthens their case, and as a developing football nation we should welcome the competition, not worry about the threat to World Cup qualification. Imagine if Japan and South Korea had rejected our bid for the same reasons.
Wellington’s owners are doing a lot of things right, and now the results on the field are starting to emerge. With results the come crowds will come, ending much of the misguided opposition.
A strong Wellington Phoenix is a massive asset for the A-League. Renewing their license is a no-brainer.
Horto Magiko
Guest
@jarrod "You will probably say that if you get rid of the Phoenix you can replace them with Wollongong. Well, why not just make it a 12 team league and add Wollongong and somewhere else?" Wollongong and two somewhere else's makes 12. "There are very few places in Australia without a team that could support a team." Not true. There are more than enough places that can support teams. Don't believe the hype. If were talking manufactured-from-scratch-franchises it's a slightly harder task but far from impossible..and there are many well established clubs ready to go yesterday. (Providing the cosa nostra, I mean the FFA, are willing to engage them with respect and not with an offer they can't refuse). And to cite the failure of Gold Coast FC while ignoring NZ Knights is pretty selective. By that logic Wellington would have never come into existence. (Not saying we should re-embark GCFC) "The myth which the anti-Wellington brigade is perpetuating is that the Phoenix are taking resources away from potential Australian teams when they are actually adding resources." With an eye to the *future*, this is no myth. The operative word here is *potential* Australian teams. True, Wellington, in *the past* and thus far, have helped a fledgling league - It's been a 'we'll scratch your back if u scratch ours situation'.. Both parties have benefited.. But when discussing and assessing the *future* and *potential* teams it's lunacy to think that FFA shouldn't be pouring everything that goes wellingtons way into Australian clubs. Also don't think of it as "the anti-Wellington brigade". Think of it as the ""pro-Australian-who what to develop a stronger domestic league that helps build infrastructure, youth pathways and the culture of football in this country period, subsequently developing more players (some to go abroad to superior leagues for further development) and thus supplying more stocks to our parched national team-brigade"" NZ by default is irrelevant to this brigade. No hate. Just irrelevance. I have said it far too many times but here goes again. Wellington existing in the HAL is non FIFA compliant. It's an anomalous situation. To me it looks like a dogs breakfast. (Why stop there when ignoring the rules and standards of the world governing body? It's a Pandora's box). I genuinely do feel sorry for Wellington if they were to get axed come 2017, but should pity be a motivating factor when assessing the development and future of the HAL and football in this country period? Probably not. And when I think about how to engage the 1.96 million Australians who are actively involved in association football in this country Wellington does not spring to mind.
Jarrod
Guest
You are looking at the Wellington Phoenix in black and white terms. It is simply not true that the Wellington Phoenix only contribute $200,000 to the FFA. If the Phoenix did not exist then the A-League would only have 9 teams. If there was only a 9 team league then one less game would be played per round and the FFA would receive less money. You will probably say that if you get rid of the Phoenix you can replace them with Wollongong. Well, why not just make it a 12 team league and add Wollongong and somewhere else? That way we would have a 12 team league and six games per week. This would give the FFA more revenue from Australian broadcasters. The myth which the anti-Wellington brigade is perpetuating is that the Phoenix are taking resources away from potential Australian teams when they are actually adding resources. There are very few places in Australia without a team that could support a team. North Queensland and Gold Coast both failed. Canberra and Wollongong seem like the only realistic options. Let's grow the competition, not make it smaller. Let's have more teams and not less.
Horto Magiko
Guest
@freddie "What a lovely chap this “Horto Magiko” sounds." To use the old adage you're"playin the man not the ball". So on that note: Ok Freddie/Phoenix, keep leeching. I'm sure you feel proud being a charity case. And why am I a 'lovely chap' as u put it? Coz i won't pander to your simplistic and flawed arguments? And be happy that money, resources and infrastructure are going abroad instead of into the clubs from the country of said league? (All rhetorical questions as I wouldn't expect a balanced, concise and non biased response from your entitled self. I take it if I just agreed with you and bought into your tree hugging - let's all hold hands point of view, I would infact be a lovely chap. I could care less what you think of me as a person). I assume you obviously like the idea of having foreign clubs in the NZ league and having your governing body subsidize them, all while limiting pathways for kiwi youth- I extrapolate this from your lack of a response to that point. "Last thing the league needs is all that stuff again." I won't even ask you to elaborate... Sounds like you're the xenophobe here. Also I think that your narrow-minded view of clubs with such a rich history of football in this country, which have proven to have evolved past the stigmatism that sensationalist bigots like yourself continue to place on them, are better left in the past- but it's blatantly obvious, that's where you like to reside - in the past. (And since you brought up the FFA Cup - where was all this "stuff" that u insinuate, during that FFA Cup???) might I add that a little player called mark viduka came from one of those insignificant clubs, (to name just one player from an elaborate list of NSL players)- I take it that's what u mean by "Last thing the league needs is all that stuff again."??? I mean god forbid that ever happened again. (Id choose that terrible fate any day of the week over the horrible plastic franchise that is the Wellington Phoenix). Which brings me to your forlorn attempt at an argument of quoting crowd numbers from the NSL as I've told you ad nauseam that it's 2014 and that you like living in the past but you're obviously in denial. In regards to FFA Cup crowd numbers.. FYI the FFA cup is a cup competition not the league. I gotta say it really is staggering that you really can't differentiate between a cup competition and domestic league competition. "And you’ve lived in so many countries hey? Congratulations." I informed you of this fact because you hypocritically insinuated that I have an "island mentality".. And "can't see past my own nose". All while you make sweeping generalizations and judgements about Australians??. You could take a leaf from your own book mate. Here's a fact for you: it never goes down well commenting on an Australian website (while your club leaches Australian funds, infrastructure and resources) by starting a sentence with "some Australians have.." and "Australians have a short memory..". Sounds awfully ignorant and judgmental to me..but keep telling yourself you're in the moral right if that's what works for you mate.
Freddie
Guest
What a lovely chap this "Horto Magiko" sounds. South Melbourne? Sydney Olympic? Melbourne Knights? No thanks. Last thing the league needs is all that stuff again. Besides, Olympic had the chance to show how many fans they had during the FFA Cup, and reaching the NPL Final. Barely a few hundred showed up. Same with Souths. All the talk of members hardly registers when so few show up to actual games. The NSL clubs you mention had nearly 30 years to prove how big they coudl become. They failed. Some facts for you. Sydney Olympic's best ever average crowd in the NSL was 7,061. Worst 2,922 South Melbourne's best ever average crowd in the NSL was 8,330, Worst 2,600 Melbourne Knights best ever average crowd in the NSL was 4,917, Worst 1,700 Wellington Phoenix best ever average crowd in the NSL is 11,683, Worst 6,882 And you've lived in so many countries hey? Congratulations.
Horto Magiko
Guest
@nixfan "How many clubs have had to be financially supported or owned by the FFA?" Wow shock horror there's a news flash right there. Yeah *Australia* supporting *Australian* clubs! What a crazy idea huh? So because Australia subsidizes it's own clubs it should therefore subsidize clubs from other countries? Great logic you've got going there buddy. By your logic FFA should start subsidizing clubs from Papua New Guinea and Indonesia. "I didn’t hear you complaining when you had Kosta knocking in the goals for you" If individual kiwi footballers want to ply their trade here, then good on them and good on us. If their (Smeltz, Kosta, Rojas) standard is and/or was above that of the HAL I'm sure they would/should chase a better paycheck in a more superior league to that of the HAL. "developed in NZ by the ‘Nix." With the financial help of the FFA you mean right? So what you're saying is Australia/HAL/FFA helped to develop and strengthen the all whites?? That's great for Australia!! We are even bigger mugs than we are giving ourselves credit for. "As well, there is a closeness between the two countries" Well Australia also shares a "closeness" with England.. we do, after all, speak English and have the English flag crammed into the top left corner of our flag.. So by your logic English clubs should also play in the HAL. "Also Yellow Fever = no flares!" Wtf did I just read??!!... That being said flares might liven up the dour and boring atmosphere in the empty and barren cake tin. Until NZ join the Asian confederation, we shouldn't even be considering the Nix's involvement in the HAL. Even then I think that spot and money they're hogging in the league should go to an Australian club. NZ has it's own league. The Nix should be playing in it. I think you should have Samoan and Tongan clubs playing in your league and have NZ subsidize them. Sound fair?
Nixfan
Guest
How many clubs have had to be financially supported or owned by the FFA? How many clubs have been rolled up? The Phoenix are a secure presence in the league. I didn't hear you complaining when you had Kosta knocking in the goals for you, developed in NZ by the 'Nix. Leaving aside the attitude of "develop football somewhere else? that's crazy talk! Less football now!!", are you going to get top players from Japan or Korea playing in the A-league? No, because they can get paid better at home id they are decent. Players such as Kosta and Marco have emerged because of the 'Nix participation in the league and added value to the league overall. As well, there is a closeness between the two countries in, for example the way Smeltz and Moss have Aussie passports, and Archie Thompson was born in NZ. Also Yellow Fever = no flares!
William Dalton Davis
Roar Rookie
Couldn't have been too much of a lack of interest. They recorded a huge profit and the super league got a decent tv rights deal afterwards due to "increased commercial interest" in rugby league.
Cunny Funts
Guest
David and Cozza, With respect, your suggestions that Australian football should divorce itself from New Zealand are shortsighted, becuase such a divorce would be counterproductive to Australia's best interests. To answer David's question: "Why should FFA be doing everything they can to develop football in NZ?" 1 - From a technical point of view: The European and South American nations benefit from having strong competition in qualifying for the World Cup. Countries such as Colombia and Costa Rica are able to compete well against the likes of Brazil and Argentina, and Belgium in particular has risen greatly in the most competitive of confederations. Australia's footballing interests were perhaps the primary reason we moved into Asia. In Asia, we are subjected to a HIGHER level of competition than in Oceania. So while World Cup qualification itself is quite challenging, it is this challenge that demands higher quality play in order to qualify through Asia. So in a technical sense, a strong Asia helps make a strong Australia. It also follows that a stronger New Zealand (with 1-2 Kiwi teams in the A-League, or even if NZ were to move into Asia) also helps Australia's football progression. The more strong competition we can subject ourselves to (at every level), the better our technical improvement shall be. 2 - From a financial point of view: The FFA does NOT subsidise Wellington's participation. Wellington is 1/10 of the A-League, so essentially they are responsible for 1/10 of Australia's annual $40m broadcast figure. 1/10 x $40m = $4m. Then add the $0.2m from the NZ broadcast, and subtract the $2.5m that FFA currently pays to Wellington, and the FFA are $1.7m ahead as a result of Wellington's participation in the A-League. (Sure, Wellington could potentially be replaced by an Australian team in the future IF another Australian team was created and made ready to compete in the A-League in a couple of years. I won't into this big "IF" here.) Australia's 23.1m population is seperated by huge expanses, and yet the vast majority of Australians live on the east coast. New Zealand has a population of almost 4.5m, and they're geographically not that far from Australia's biggest cities. With the FFA wanting to increase the value of A-League broadcasts more and more in coming years and decades, the New Zealand market provides a far bigger combined market for potential players and fans than Australia's population alone. Therefore, the having NZ in the A-League is a big positive for both technical quality and economic reasons.
Horto Magiko
Guest
@realfootball "FFA collects just $200,000 per year from Sky, but hands over the entire salary cap of $2 million plus to the Nix." To make a massive understatement, the figures are alarming! I really don't get this. Id like to see that money being invested into an Australian club. "Australia is heavily subsidising New Zealand football, and that is unacceptable." Exactly!!!! Never have truer words been spoken! This fact alone negates any pro-NZ presence here. I'm not anti-NZ per se. I'm pro Australia. I'm also pro-reason/logic.
Horto Magiko
Guest
Where do I start with you Freddie.. "Clearly you don’t remember the Perth Kangaroos who played in Singapore." Clearly you like to live in the past. And yes that stint did wonders for our domestic league. Face Palm. "Welsh clubs playing in England for one" They belong to the same confederation!!!!! Face palm #2 "Mexican clubs playing in the Copa Libertadores " You do realise that the Copa Libertadores is a cup competition and not a domestic league. Face palm #3. "Fact is, some Aussies have the island mentality, and can’t see further than their own noses." Huh?? I shouldn't even dignify this with a response.. Your implication that I'm xenophobic is quashed by my overt joy at being included in Asia. Aside from the fact I've lived in more countries than you've had hot dinners. "If you want to get rid of Wellington, fine. So who is ready to go to replace them? Er, um, well…" South Melbourne FC, Sydney Olympic, Melbourne knights or sydney united thats who. Try looking in your own backyard first mate. Sth melb for eg.have 8000 members on their books in comparison with the nux's paltry 3900. Go play kumbaya on the north island and develop a real argument while we create more infrastructure here and pathways for our youth.
Barry
Guest
They need someone like a Gareth Morgan equvalent to put money in to run the club, the other problem is which stadium to use Eden park far too big and expensive, Albany has no atmosphere either so Mt Smart is for RLeague and mooted to be speed way track soon so where else??? - I am not from Auckland though so someone might have a better idea! NZer
Nixfan
Guest
I'm sure the Sky deal would include Sky wearing all the costs of broadcasting here in Kiwi-land and also most of the advertising.
Barry
Guest
I think the wellington city council does not want to put the cash in to add to the owners cash up front for the stadium the Nix had drawn up for Petone in Wellington, a boutique stadium would be awsome!! NZer
Cantab
Guest
Agree, though I watch all the nix games on foxsports, I've got mates who with watch them to or when thier team plays against the nix. So they definitely contribute to income earn't by Foxtel.
Realfootball
Guest
An Auckland team is THE logical first cab off the rank for expansion. 2 million people. Fish where the fish are, as DG likes to say. And it creates an NZ derby, which will boost the Nix hugely. What needs to stack up now is the cash from Sky.
Realfootball
Guest
My information is that FFA collects just $200,000 per year from Sky, but hands over the entire salary cap of $2 million plus to the Nix. On what level does that make sense to FFA? I'm a big supporter of not one but two NZ sides in the A League, but the cash doesn't stack up right now and this has to change. In the current situation, Australia is heavily subsidising New Zealand football, and that is unacceptable.
Barry
Guest
Did youe see the rugby league world cup though, not much interest really though they had trouble filling stadiums no waiting list, its the old stoery in this part of the world it is the media talking it up NZer
Barry
Guest
yes we are from NZ it is different here football just does not get the media attention, they say it is because it is not a main stream sport what ever that means, call it a conspiracy or not but it gets snubbed at almost as if well I have had the impression for a long time that they are scared to embrace the global game for some reason it could be to protect other interests - may be - NZer
langou
Roar Guru
The MCC Visitor tickets have sold out for Boxing Day for what its worth
Freddie
Guest
Clearly you don't remember the Perth Kangaroos who played in Singapore. Yes, Australia "belongs" to the AFC - but only after a 40-year battle to be accepted, and some in the Middle East still don't want Australia there, citing the same narrow-minded principles you are regurgitating here. There is a difference between an Oz team playing in Japan, and a NZ team playing in Oz - geography for one, history for another. The two nations have long been inter-connected. There is also precedent. Welsh clubs playing in England for one - Mexican clubs playing in the Copa Libertadores for another, both for similar cultural and historical reasons. Fact is, some Aussies have the island mentality, and can't see further than their own noses. Bottom line is this however. If you want to get rid of Wellington, fine. So who is ready to go to replace them? Er, um, well...