OPINION: There is a great sense of intrigue about the Wellington Phoenix as they head into the 2017/18 A-League football season. Thanks to a revamped coaching line-up, a raft of changes to the playing roster, and even a new logo, there are plenty of questions marks hanging over the club.
Experienced manager Darije Kalezić is tasked with turning around the fortunes of the Nix, who haven’t featured in the playoffs the last two seasons. The A-League nous of assistant coach Rado Vidošić has already been vital in securing new players, and his knowledge of the Trans-Tasman comp thanks to stints with Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney will be crucial.
With the departure of custodian Glen Moss, there’s a wide open vacancy between the sticks in goal. 18-year old Keegan Smith seems the surprise leader in the race for the gloves, ahead of long-time back-up Lewis Italiano and fellow youngster Oli Sail. Regardless of who gets the nod, goalkeeper is a spot where the Phoenix are light on top-level experience, and could be found out.
Veteran Andrew Durante is still around at the back, alongside important Italian defender Marco Rossi. There's some added depth in the defensive stocks this year with the addition of the versatile Daniel Mullen and U-23 Socceroo Scott Galloway. Combined with Ryan Lowry and Dylan Fox, as well as Tom Doyle and Ali Abbas, there are good signs the Phoenix can be the compact and structured team Kalezić is after.
A large chunk of the midfield from last season is gone, with Alex Rodriguez, Roly Bonevacia and Kosta Barbarouses moving on. New Croatian defensive midfielder Goran Paracki is set to screen the back four, with young kiwis Matt Ridenton and Alex Rufer fighting it out for a spot alongside him.
Gui Finkler and Michael McGlinchey are likely to be the creative sparks, while Rado’s son Dario will look to light up the league once again. The 30-year old Socceroo has scored 24 goals in the A-League, and returns after stints overseas in Germany and Korea.
The electric pace of Fijian forward Roy Krishna always makes him a threat, and while the Phoenix will be hoping he can hit the back of the net frequently, much of the goal-scoring onus will fall on Serbian Andrija Kaludjerović. The Serbian international is a target man with an impressive record, racking up 108 goals in 236 games across his career.
While the Phoenix squad has reasonable depth, there are still plenty of potential stumbling blocks ahead. With all the changes, they are a largely unknown quantity this season.
Goalkeepers and scoring goals could be an issue, while it will be interesting to see what style of football Kalezić tries to establish. Talented attacking midfielder Sarpreet Singh, who is now on a pro contract, could be one to watch, especially with his manager happy to give youth a chance.
After a stale couple of years, the Phoenix have aired out the cupboard, and the changes could be exactly what the club needs. Making the Top Six will constitute a successful season, although it won’t be easy in an increasingly competitive league. They kick off their season with a home clash against Adelaide United on Sunday afternoon in Wellington.
Henry Rounce is a Newshub sports reporter and producer
