Phoenix off to Europe in search of players
Recruitment will be the Phoenixs top priority over the next two months, with visits to England, Germany, the Netherlands and Brazil planned.
Assuming Brazilian Felipe is re-signed, spots for two overseas players are vacant.
Chief executive Tony Pignata and coach Ricki Herbert have several players lined up to meet on next months trip to Europe. It comes as no surprise a central defender, right back, and a gun striker are the areas targeted.
We want to take our time with recruiting and make sure we get the right players in the right positions, chief executive Tony Pignata said.
Year one was put together so quickly weve never had the chance to sit back and look at what is required. The next few weeks/months will be about building for season two and setting objectives.
With defender Steven ODors decision last week to quit to focus on his legal studies, two positions on the roster of 23 are vacant.
There are also six players (Ross Aloisi, Richard Johnson, Vince Lia, Kristian Rees, Ahmad Elrich and Felipe) whose contracts are up in June.
Decisions on those players will not be made till after they return from their annual leave, which begins next week and ends on March 3.
Vince Lia and Felipe are two players almost certain to be re-signed, though Aloisis future remains uncertain.
We havent sat down with Ross at all, Pignata said. Hes back as captain of the club in March and whatever happens, hes been superb for the club.
Pignata admitted cutting players on two-year contracts was an option, though a costly one.
Any players contracted for next season but released earlier would still have their salaries counted within the $2 million salary cap.
Pignata said the salary cap would hinder their ability to attract overseas players because expectations of some players were beyond what the Phoenix could afford.
We wont be doing anything untoward but there are ways that we can work within the salary cap and potentially get some sponsors on board to pay for some additional services.
Those players are playing over there on big bucks. There are a lot of Australians playing overseas who may want to come back to the A-League, so we might be able to talk to someone about coming back.
But its very difficult to get them to come to Wellington, so we may have to pay them a little more, but once theyre here theyll find the lifestyle is fantastic.
Owner Terry Serepisos said a marquee player, a player outside the salary cap, was very much in his planning for next season.
Socceroo Ahmad Elrich held that status this season but if he stays he is likely to be placed inside the salary cap.
I definitely want to do that but it has to be the right marquee player, Serepisos said. I know exactly what were in for now and Im handling this in a way that I know has to be done to be competitive.
Asked if other clubs had targeted Phoenix players, Pignata said: If [Shane] Smeltz was on a one-year contract wed have a few clubs looking at him, same with Daniel, but were lucky that we got those guys on a two-year contract.
Meanwhile, the Phoenixs pre-season is likely to include a tour of Asia but of more immediate concern could be an April-May playoff for the right to compete at Decembers Club World Cup in Japan.
It is understood the Phoenix will play the two group winners of this years O-League in an April home-and-away playoff, with the winner representing Oceania in Japan, though nothing has been confirmed.
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Thursday, January 31st, 2008 at 6:06 pm under