There was a time, not so many years ago, before the “C” word sent the world in general and sport in particular into hibernation, when a lot of football pundits were questioning the Wellington Phoenix’s value to the A-League.
There appeared to be a school of thought that the Phoenix didn’t “contribute” to the league. Their TV deal with Sky Sports was questioned, as was their lack of quality on the pitch, their engagement with their fans, their ability to attract players who could make a difference.
On Sunday, Wellington hosted Adelaide United at Sky Stadium.
After two seasons of nomadic existence and great sacrifice, the Phoenix were finally back to playing a regular schedule. They had managed a few “homecomings” during the pandemic-wrecked seasons preceding this one, and the fans lapped it up, bulging out of the most beautifully positioned stadium in the league to welcome back a team that had made Wollongong their home for two years.
While Sunday’s crowd wasn’t a sellout in the manner of those aforementioned games, the crowd was large and enthusiastic. I had the unique experience of watching the game in Australia while conversing via text with someone who was waiting to catch the Cook Strait ferry.
A photo showing the ferry queue brought a smile to my face, not only for the lady in the picture but because right there in the background was the very stadium I was watching the game from. Maybe that’s why the traffic was unusually heavy for a Wellington Sunday, was the consensus when I pointed this out.
The game itself was a good one, and Wellington did remarkably well to adjust to the 25th minute red-carding of their new Brazilian midfielder Yan Sasse, who was perhaps unfortunate to be sent off when he slipped lunging for the ball, and both feet left the ground in a collision with Adelaide’s Javi Lopez.
(Photo by Masanori Udagawa/Getty Images)
The Reds’ most potent attacking weapon of recent times, Craig Goodwin, was left on the bench by coach Carl Veart, and the Phoenix repelled Adelaide’s attacking pressure while living on their nerves.
In the 57th minute, two significant substitutions determined the eventual fate of the game. Ben Waine for Wellington, and Adelaide club captain Goodwin took to the lush green Sky Stadium pitch.
It was Waine who scored the opening goal in the 75th minute, following up a Kosta Barbarouses shot that Adelaide keeper Joe Gauci could only push away. And it was Goodwin who orchestrated most of Adelaide’s forward momentum, playing Zac Clough in for a one-on-one moment in the 91st minute that Phoenix keeper Oli Sail managed to save, while “taking one for the team” in the region Richie Benaud once described as “lower plenty”.
With Sail down and writhing in the kind of pain most men snigger at while empathising completely, the NZ commentator observed wryly, “I don’t know what the physio can do for Sail at the moment, except offer words of sympathy and encouragement.”
Once Sail had recaptured his… breath, Goodwin swung in the resultant corner for Ben Halloran to score the equaliser that Adelaide probably deserved but which seemed cruel on the home side, who had shown admirable steel and resilience since Sasse’s red card.
But really, what more would we expect from a side who have endured what they have in the last two seasons?
Phoenix coach Ufuk Talay has worked minor miracles with the club and there now seems to be a sense of possible achievement from a team whose very place at the A League table was at risk only three years ago. Their fans are enthusiasts and the TV coverage – at least the broadcast I watched – was top notch, with a wry sense of Kiwi humour thrown in to elevate the proceedings.
From a wider perspective, the A-League needs to have success stories from their so-called outposts beyond Sydney and Melbourne. While half the league’s clubs are now drawn from the two major cities, clubs like Wellington and Adelaide can be major contributors to a season many are hoping will redress the balance of the last two.
There is no doubt that the Phoenix have won the admiration of fans from all clubs for sticking it out in the last 24 months. Indeed, making the finals last campaign while playing 99 per cent of their matches away from home was indicative of the mythical bird after which the club is named.
With a full schedule of home games in 2022-23, Talay’s team can make serious inroads into the league and quell any questioning of their place at the A-League banquet.
They play in a beautiful part of the world (I’ve got the pictures to prove it). Now, the hope is they can embed the beautiful game in their own harbour city, and the sight of shirtless Phoenix fans from the 80th minute onwards becomes a common sight this season.
josh
Guest
All they need to do is find better sponsors, that's where FA comes in to help them. They're a city of 300k and these people are passionate about any team that represents them, that's why they're on board with the basketball team.
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
I think if Australia ever want to host a men's world cup (now that it's 48 teams), that would be a solid grouping for a joint bid.
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
The inclusion of a New Zealand team in the A-League was part of the agreement negotiated for Australia being allowed to leave the Oceania confederation to join Asia's.
Blood Dragon
Roar Rookie
From what I've been told Bruce Stadium is poorly located and hard to get to which means people have to drive which in this day and age should not be encouraging
Two Cents
Guest
Um, the AIS, maybe you've heard of it? Plus, Canberra has both Bruce Stadium and Manuka Oval (the latter was recently upgraded), both of which are capable of fielding top-level football games. You may or may not be aware that Bruce Stadium was in fact used during the 2000 Sydney Olympics to host soccer games that they didn't have capacity for in Sydney. So, I don't know where you are getting this idea of Canberra needing a new stadium from.
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
Wes, you cannot know how much I agree. The Jets do try to get out there, and full marks to them, but we need a League-wide initiative.
Blood Dragon
Roar Rookie
There won't be new teams in existing markets for the A-League as like we have seen with, Melbourne City, Western United and Marcathur there isn't the intrest for more teams in current markets Roar are currently a Gold Coast Based team as that's where they train and most of there players live but they are set to move to a new facility I think out at Brendale in the next 12 months or so
Sheffield WesDay
Roar Rookie
We do not have to re-invent the wheel here. The A League clubs just need to engage with community. I spent eht School holidays on the Gold Coast at Magic's Premier Invitational. Clubs from all over Qld and interstate, hundreds (probably thousands) of kids across the u9-18 age groups playing over 9 days of football. Not one day did I see the Roar send players to the tournament to watch a few games, take a few photos, hand out a few scarfs. This was also the case at the TSP tournament in Ipswich last school holidays and the one before that. How many local clubs have their end of season presentations coming up??? Would it kill the A League teams to send 2 players along for an hour? Posting regular fluff pieces on Facebook is not community engagement
Sheffield WesDay
Roar Rookie
If they were to place a second team in Brissy, they really need to harness the already established North Side vs South Side rivalry. There is no natural GC/ Brissy competition there. One team based closer to Logan (the Roar?), the other based in Moreton Bay Region. That way Gold Coast and Ipswich fans could jump on Board with the South and Sunny Cost/ Moreton Bay with the North. Now if Only we knew of a POWERful NPL club based in the Peninsula who have dominated the NPL for the last couple of years and has recent form in the AUS cup?????
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
we could also use football as a vehicle to establish stronger trade, diplomatic and political ties. in the current geopolitical environment every avenue is a valuable one.
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
I agree as a SS, you think that Para + would be a very effective assessment portal for a grand total of 8 buck a month that could probably be claimed on tax as a work tool.
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
You're absolutely right, it was a fantastic season last year. But we were still under the spectre of covid. We're in the clear now, and this seasons suggests it will be as good if not better than last season. So now the fight is fair and square in the media domain. I would suggest we have two choices. Sit, whinge, complain and do nothing and be happy with your lot, or adapt and overcome. Those antiquities they call media moguls, they can do all they can in the digital domain to push against football. What they can't do is stop people going through the gates. FA has to work to make A-League closely connected to grassroots. Have local tournaments for the juniors e.g. the Mariners Junior football tournment. The kids play for the Mariners trophy. The winners get to meet and train with the Mariners for session. A-League access needs to be cheap for all registered junior footballers, then Mum and Dad have to take the kids to the game. We need to take mates to the game, we need to talk to people about the league. Bottom line is they dont know what they dont know, so without the digital element we need to tell them what they dont know. I got my nephews onto Keepup now three entire junior teams are on there waiting for Access All Areas to start. As I said, we either whinge, complain and be happy with our lot by doing nothing or we adapt and overcome I know what I will be doing.
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
Ok, so covid was lurking around, but have you ever heard the term "adapt and overcome". We have to accept that until the media barrens fall off the perch that football is never going to get fair go. I am the first to admit that last season, we had the custard kicked out of our crowds because of covid. i honestly believe that the A-League's approach to covid showed more intellect than the backyard codes and it was a noble thing to do. Now we're not under the covid cloud. So the fight now, is purely with those decrepit, anquities who's mindset is still somewhere between 1975 and 1990. The Murdoch's, the Stokes and their ilk are going to do all they can to kick the custard out of football. What they can't do is stop people going through the gate. Word of mouth, taking your mates to the game, making football more accessible for junior footballers and therefore Mum and Dad have to take them to the game, that's what Murdoch cant stop. It all fine and dandy to whinge and complain that stuff's not going our way. So what are we going to do about. Just ask those Ukrainian lads. They were getting smashed. Covert ops, guerilla style warfare and look what's happened. Adapt and overcome or be happy with your lot!!!
Blood Dragon
Roar Rookie
The current Stadium Proposul on the table in Tasmania is for the a New AFL Stadium to be able to convert into a Rectangle Mode but when costs have to be cut that will be the 1st thing to go Grass roots numbers mean almost nothing when it comes to support for the game
apaway
Roar Guru
We didn't "get" the Mariners because the Wolves turned down the AL. The Mariners were in the mix from day one.
Grem
Roar Rookie
That’s interesting with Tasmania. You would think they already had a football stadium that would be suitable. I realise AFL is more popular in terms of people sitting on their backsides watching the game, but I just googled the numbers and there are twice as many registered footballers compared to AFL players. You’d think those numbers would have already warranted an appropriate stadium.
Grem
Roar Rookie
How crazy were our leaders not to have brought in Tasmania before basketball and AFL got going or will get going. The Tasmanian Devils always had a good ring to it.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
Last season you had 11 of the 12 teams in final contention with a few rounds to go. The title went to the last round with 3 teams. Thats about as close as you will get statistically with 12 teams. What exactly happened we got to the Nirvana of your dreams. Sydney didnt make the final as well. DId people go dancing in the streets this is such a close and equal contest without Sydney lets all watch and attend the A-league. No they didnt. The crowds were rubbish, the ratings were rubbish etc. The media abandoned the league once it went to Paramount apart from Channel 10 and Channel 10 did hardly anything either. Channel 10 their Love Boat I saw a thousand promos and its a ratings bomb. Now they are doing non stop Traitors promos. The A-league general promos have stopped. Also Channel 10 their new breakfast show got 44 viewers in Sydney. This is a joke of a network that never promotes the A-league while bombarding A-league matches with non stop gambling ads.
Blood Dragon
Roar Rookie
Wolves have had Fianicial problems for as long as I can remember can't ever see them in the A-League but looks like there going for NSD over A-League
Waz
Roar Rookie
That’s it. Why they turned it down is debatable but turn it down they did. And CCM were crested instead.