Let's start by making one thing clear: The Alex Jones signing is a botch up of the highest order. But is this really as simple as a New Zealand Football error?
Sure, after a nightmare 2015 that included an eligibility saga which cost them a spot at the Olympics and a squad naming that was sent to the wrong players, they are the easy target. But they are not the only target.
At 12:01pm on Monday, February 1, Wellington Phoenix announced they'd signed Alex Jones on loan. The headline read "Phoenix sign Birmingham striker on loan deal". Sounds pretty official, right?
Today's news shows they jumped the gun.
I've asked Ernie Merrick countless times whether or not he's signing a player that I've heard the club's interested in. His answer is the same every time.
He refuses to comment on signings until they are signed and sealed. It's fair enough – why leave yourself open to ridicule if there's even the slightest chance it doesn't work out?
So, why did the Phoenix announce the signing when it wasn't completed?
That press release was made public a whole 23 hours before the transfer deadline closed. There was not only time to have the paperwork sorted before the signing was announced but there was even ample time after it.
They quite clearly couldn't sort that out so what on earth prompted them to release the statement at that point? How can they announce a signing is official when it's not?
The signing was entered into NZF's system on Saturday, with the transfer window closing at 11am on Tuesday morning (NZT) – so what prompted the signing to be released by the Phoenix at 12:01pm on the Monday?
I'm not saying New Zealand Football don't deserve to be blamed for this, they most definitely do. The fact a major sport's governing body can have no one in the office because it's a long weekend is laughable.
But the fact Wellington Phoenix could not alert anyone at NZF to the urgency of this transfer is equally laughable. NZF is not the English FA, they do not have a huge staff that can monitor things 24/7. I don't think that's good enough but it's the reality, and Phoenix are well aware of that.
Blame New Zealand Football all you like, but don't absolve the Wellington Phoenix of any.
Newshub.