Phoenix clearout set to continue
The Wellington Phoenix player clearout will continue through January, with two to three more players set to depart.
The club has already bid farewell to marquee import Gui Finkler and attacking midfielder Dario Vidosic, as well as his sacked assistant coach father Rado, this season.
Before Christmas, head coach Darije Kalezic said the players would have until January 1 to decide if they would be with the club moving forward.
Yesterday, he confirmed more players would be departing in the coming weeks. ‘‘I spoke with the players. The players give me reflections about my honest opinion and how I see what has to happen from January.
‘‘I told all the players what I want to do after January and which players have increased their chance to play and which players decrease their chance to play.
‘‘They have to make now decision in the transfer window and say what they want. Some players told me already, but some players I’m still waiting for their answers.’’
Kalezic said he expected ‘‘two or three’’ players to leave, saying it would be those not getting regular gametime. That would mean Ryan Lowry and Hamish Watson, with zero and 67 minutes gametime this season respectively, seem prime candidates for a mutual termination of their contract.
As would Ali Abbas, who has started six of the 12 games this season, but hasn’t played since December 16 and was left out of the squad for today’s match away to Melbourne City, with young defender Dylan Fox preferred.
But for every out there will be an in.
Australian Nathan Burns was signed in Vidosic’s place and is in the squad for the match against City, two-and-a-half years on from his last game in a Phoenix shirt at the end of the 2014-15 season, which culminated in him winning the Johnny Warren Medal for the league’s best player.
Kalezic also confirmed they were a matter of days away from completing the signing of Serbian midfielder Matjia Ljujic, who left Lithuanian A-Lyga club Zalgiris in November. He is a friend and former team-mate of current Phoenix striker Andrija Kaludjerovic.
On Burns, Kalezic said he would play some part against City. ‘‘Nathan is fit, but not game fit because he had some weeks off after the season in Japan. He is ready to make minutes, but not 90 minutes.’’
Their hosts are on a tough run of form, losing their last three.
Like Kalezic, City head coach Warren Joyce sacked his assistant coach, Michael Valkanis, and parted ways with marquee Tim Cahill.
They also let import Fernando Brandan go, but snapped up Vidosic after he left Wellington.
The on-field difference between the two clubs was City’s solid start to the season, allowing them to sit fourth on 19 points, while the Phoenix languish in last on seven.
But Kalezic was confident they could get a result after a positive performance in Melbourne earlier this season when losing 1-0.
‘‘They have a lot of pressure to win the game because if they don’t win the game, at clubs like City it will be a crisis. We have confidence we can play a good game.’’
Kalezic deployed a 5-3-2 formation against Central Coast Mariners in the New Year’s Eve 0-0 draw, but wanted to keep his tactical cards close to his chest and would not divulge if that would continue against City.