Phoenix eye new signing
The Wellington Phoenix will target two areas of the field as they look for a replacement for Gui Finkler.
The Brazilian midfielder’s marquee contract was terminated by mutual consent on Friday, a day before his now former side drew 0-0 with the Brisbane Roar in an A-League match at CBus Super Stadium on the Gold Coast.
After that match, Phoenix coach Darije Kalezic was quizzed about who he would bring in during the January transfer window and said it would not be a like-forlike swap.
‘‘In that position [attacking midfield] we have a couple of players who can play at A-League level, like Dario Vidosic, like Michael McGlinchey, so hopefully we can spend that spot for some other position that we think the team needs more.
‘‘I know what we need. There are two positions and we have to decide very soon which of those two positions we want to replace.’’
On the evidence of Saturday’s match, a winger would seem to be most needed. Adam Parkhouse did an adequate job as an inverted right winger replacing the injured Roy Krishna, as did Matthew Ridenton on the other side, but both their inclusions showed a lack of depth at the position.
Having an out-and-out left winger would enable Vidosic to move into the attacking midfield position where he impressed on Saturday in earning man-of-thematch honours.
The other place another player could be needed was central midfield.
Kalezic made an interesting comment around his involvement in the decision to release Finkler. He obviously made it clear to club management that the 32-year-old was no longer in his first-team plans, but said he didn’t talk with the club about the release.
‘‘To be honest, I didn’t speak with the club about their decisions. I was concentrating this week on the game.
‘‘I think also our focus has to be on the next game in Perth. Then once we fly back we have all the time to sit with the board and make decisions what we want to do.’’
He also appeared to not know what contract Finkler was on, deferring a question about whether Finkler was on a marquee contract to football operations manager Shaun Gill, who confirmed that was the case.
As for Saturday’s game, Kalezic said he was happy with his side’s defensive effort as they held the Roar to one shot on target.
‘‘The team for the first time in a couple of months keeps a clean sheet. That makes me very satis- fied. I am a coach who likes good and solid organisation. We struggle a lot ... to create that until now, and after our games, days, weeks and months, we [achieve] today.
‘‘Actually, this game we should also win – we deserve to win – but what is in my mind is only happiness about [the] clean sheet and that we play solid game from the first until the last minute.’’
Daniel Mullen played well at the back for the injured Andrew Durante and could keep the skipper out of the side long-term if he can keep up that form.
Kalezic was asked if the injured trio of McGlinchey, Durante and Krishna would be returning for next weekend’s trip to Perth to play the Glory and said only the latter would be available.