Ridenton relishing return to revitalised Nix scene
When Matt Ridenton left the Wellington Phoenix in May, 2018, the club wasn’t in a good place.
They had just finished ninth on the A-League ladder, avoiding the wooden spoon by a single point. They were yet to appoint a new coach, following the departure of Darije Kalezic that March. And reports and rumours were beginning to swirl that they were up for sale, whether in whole or in part.
When he returned last November, as they began their preparations for the current season in their temporary home in Wollongong, things couldn’t have been more different.
No sale ever eventuated. They finally hired a coach three weeks later. In May, 2019, they played finals football for the first time in four years. And in the season that followed, they finished third on the ladder – their best effort in 13 years of trying – and enjoyed a taste of finals football – but no success – once again.
‘‘It’s obviously completely different to when I left,’’ said Ridenton, during the Phoenix’s two-week wait for tomorrow night’s clash with the Newcastle Jets at WIN Stadium.
‘‘There was no coach in at the time and that was around the time when there was a bit of uncertainty, but obviously now they’ve had two really good years and it’s probably the first time in a while that they’ve had a settled squad, after the success last year.
‘‘They’ve managed to keep a lot of the players and a lot of the quality in the squad, which is something that the Phoenix have probably struggled
‘‘Obviously the vibe is pretty positive amongst the group and the ambition is there now that there has been that success to push on and keep doing better.’’
Matthew Ridenton
Phoenix returnee
to do before that and then also having the same coaching staff and the same style of play – it’s much easier to come into a team when it’s like that.
‘‘Obviously the vibe is pretty positive amongst the group and the ambition is there now that there has been that success to push on and keep doing better. It’s been great to see the success they’ve had and hopefully we can keep building on that.’’
The Phoenix have started their 2020-21 campaign with a loss to defending champions Sydney FC and a draw with newcomers Macarthur FC, which featured a controversial red card for midfielder Alex Rufer that reduced them to 10 men while they were leading with half an hour to play.
That card was later apologised for, but Rufer has still been stuck with a one-match ban and that has opened the door for Ridenton to make his first start since returning to the club he first joined as a 17-year-old in 2013.
‘‘It was a pretty unfortunate red card, but this sometimes happens in football and that’s why we have a squad and I think this year we have the players to come in and that’s what we’ve been working on in preseason – learning your role in the team for times like this,’’ he said.
‘‘Obviously it’s unfortunate for Rufes, but it’s a good opportunity for me to hopefully start this game.’’
Ridenton came off the bench in both of the Phoenix’s first two games – replacing Cam Devlin, his likely midfield partner tomorrow, as they chased an equaliser against Sydney, then replacing Ulises Davila against Macarthur as coach Ufuk Talay sought to shore things up in midfield following Rufer’s premature departure.
He might have played more than 100 A-League matches, but the 24-year-old’s best position has been a hard one to peg, though he’s clear on where he fits best in the current Phoenix setup – as one of the two central midfielders, or sixes, the roles Devlin and Rufer have made their own.
‘‘Definitely in this team, that’s probably my strongest position, but at Brisbane, and at Newcastle as well, I got played a bit higher up with a bit more freedom to get forward, which there are times for in certain scenarios, such as the Sydney game, when we were 2-1 down – you can come on and be more of an attacking option.
‘‘We’ve got pretty strong No 10s in this team – it’s somewhere where if I had to, I could play, but I think definitely as one of those two number sixes is where I’m most comfortable at the moment.’’
Ridenton returned to the Phoenix last year after spending a season and a half at the Jets, then the end of last season – when it resumed after a Covid-19-enforced break – at the Brisbane Roar.
Tomorrow he will be up against one of his former clubs for the fourth time in his career, having faced the Phoenix on two occasions while he was in Newcastle and once while he was in Brisbane.
‘‘When I went to Newcastle, my very first game was against Wellington, so that was a bit of a strange one, playing them first up,’’ he said.
‘‘The first time you do it, it is a bit different – you’re a bit nervous and excited to play your former team, but then after you’ve done it the first time, you just treat it like any other game.
‘‘There’s a lot of players at Newcastle that l that I’m still friends with and was close with during my time there, so it’ll be good to see them, but on the field, it’s just another game.
‘‘You’ve trained with them a lot, so you also know the players’ qualities on the ball, which can help you in the game.