Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Season on the line

The Wellington Phoenix play another home mid-week fixture tonight, and their season is well and truly on the line. Two consecutive home defeats has but the 'Nix on the back foot, and we've just heard on the radio that they've had a players-only meeting. The Dom-Post has this to say about tonight's match:

Nothing else has worked so the Wellington Phoenix are adopting a good old-fashioned siege mentality in a bid to shake their A-League season out of the doldrums.

Halfway through the competition the Phoenix are floundering in eighth place ahead of tonight's game against Melbourne Heart at Westpac Stadium.

Several players refused to talk at their media session yesterday, which isn't a great way to promote the game at a time when they desperately need the support.

Crowds have already been dwindling with few more than 5000 turning out for each of the club's last three home games.

It is one thing to lose but the Phoenix have also been losing ugly after talking themselves up as title contenders before the season started.

Phoenix coach Ricki Herbert did front reporters but he appears to be running out of answers or inspiration.

He was waiting until today to choose his team and fired a few shots at those calling for changes.

"It's my responsibility to make the change, not listen to people out there," Herbert said. "I'm very supportive of the players and for all the football experts out there, they can have their opinion but at the moment it's only mine that counts."

We really do wish the 'Nix well for tonight's match. The side has so much potential, put its performances have been lacklustre of late. The issues that club owner Terry Serepisos is having with paying his bills are an unwelcome distraction, and the crowds for home games have been down this year, although to be fair, the weather seems to have been at its worst whenever the 'Nix is playing!

So let's hope that tonight marks a turning point in the Nix's 2010-11 season, just as this match was thirteen months ago ..



Come on you Phoenix!


2 comments:

bobux said...

They pulled it off!

Hopefully Ifill manages to hold onto the form he has rediscovered.

Inventory2 said...

Indeed Bobux; there was something surreal about watching a game of football whilst the nation mourned. The win was a tonic though, and Ifill's second strike was an absolute gem.