Former EPL striker completes Phoenix puzzle Concern for player after clash of heads
Wellington Phoenix have received a shot of England Premier League experience ahead of the A-League season.
The club has confirmed the signing of former Israeli international striker Tomer Hemed on a 12-month marquee contract.
The 33-year-old brings a wealth of experience to the Phoenix and is the top-level forward they have been searching for since Englishman Gary Hooper departed for India at the end of the 2019-20 campaign.
The Phoenix’s interest in
Hemed was first reported by Stuff in October.
‘‘It’s no secret the club was looking to improve its frontline with an experienced visa player, and Tomer provides what we, and
no doubt the fans, think we need to improve on last season; someone who can convert our chances on goal and distribute to others,’’ coach Ufuk Talay said.
‘‘Once he settles into life in Australia, the A-League and the club’s style of play, the sky’s the limit for Tomer and I believe he’s going to turn a lot of heads this season. The Phoenix and the A-League are lucky to have a player of Tomer’s calibre on the pitch.’’
Hemed has played more than 450 games during a lengthy professional career that has spanned across Israel, Spain and England.
He helped Brighton & Hove Albion clinch promotion to the Premier League in 2017 and went on to make 16 appearances in England’s top-flight, scoring two goals.
Hemed most recently spent a season with Charlton Athletic in the second-tier Championship and has arrived in Australia on a free transfer.
He will spend the next two weeks in managed isolation before linking up with his new team-mates in Wollongong.
‘‘At the end of last season I sat down with my family and we talked about what would be the next step on my career; I’ve played in La Liga, the Premier League, Championship and fulfilled a lot of my career goals, but we thought it was time to do something more exciting, something special,’’ Hemed said.
‘‘When the opportunity [with the Phoenix] came up, we thought it was the best move for me as a player and for my family too – I’ve heard great things about the club and I know they had a special season last season. ‘‘We can’t wait to start this adventure and a new challenge.’’
The sound of the thud from a clash of heads just added to concern.
The game was only five minutes old at the Emirates Stadium when Wolverhampton forward Raul Jimenez and Arsenal defender David Luiz collided while jumping for the ball.
The emptiness of the Emirates Stadium – with fans still excluded until next week due to the pandemic – made the troubling sound all the more audible. Concerns grew as Jimenez appeared motionless and was eventually wheeled off the field with an oxygen mask on.
‘‘I knew straight away something was wrong,’’ Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo said. ‘‘Everyone called ‘red, red,’ which means it’s a bad situation. You see the panic in their eyes.’’
By the time the Premier League game ended – with Wolves beating Arsenal 2-1 – there was a more encouraging update from the London hospital with Jimenez said to be conscious and talking. One of the lingering concerns, though, was why a bandaged and bloodied Luiz played on until the interval at a time when there is growing scrutiny into the long-term impact of head injuries.
Trials of concussion substitutes are only due to begin in 2021. Arsenal maintained that Luiz never lost consciousness.
The result was not fine for Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, with the Gunners languishing in 14th place and eight points off the lead after 10 games. That leader, unusually, is Tottenham, who drew 0-0 at Chelsea yesterday.
Manchester United avoided a day as miserable as Arsenal’s by fighting back from two goals down to win 3-2 at Southampton.