Singh’s sparkle seduces
If you need a reason to watch the Wellington Phoenix in Auckland on Saturday night, Sarpreet Singh should be all you need.
It would be easy to forget about the Phoenix at this stage in their campaign, given that the playoffs are out of sight, they’re without a full-time coach, and they’re on track for their worst season on record.
In fact, most of the Auckland media did, with only Stuff present at the pre-match session on Friday, looking forward to the clash with the Newcastle Jets at QBE Stadium [kickoff 7.35pm] – one of two the Wellington club will play there in the final five weeks of the Hyundai A-League season.
It’s a sign that it’s hard to get excited about the team, and you might say fair enough. But in 19-year-old Singh, who received his first All Whites callup during the week, they have a player who offers hope for the future.
Interim first team coach Chris Greenacre has probably seen more of him than he would have liked, coaching the Phoenix’s reserve side in the national league this summer, given how obvious his potential was.
Former coach Darije Kalezic finally saw the light in his final weeks in charge, giving Singh his first A-League start, and when he shone – scoring a cracker of goal just minutes in against Perth Glory – he was promised a starting spot going forward.
Kalezic may be gone – he was spotted in Auckland last weekend in holiday mode, heading off to Waiheke Island – but Singh has remained a starter, and is likely to be in the starting XI on Saturday.
Greenacre was pleased to see Singh recognised by new national team coach Fritz Schmid, and is hoping it will help him kick on with the Phoenix, where he is signed through the end of the 2019-20 season.
‘‘In my opinion, I think he probably could have got an earlier shout, but that’s by the by really. He’s an exciting talent, and everyone that’s worked with him knows what he’s capable of.
‘‘He just needs now to get a good couple of seasons playing senior men’s football, top level professional football under his belt, and I’m sure we’ll see the sparkle that everyone who knows him knows he’s got. It’s been great to see him get a couple of goals to his name as well.’’
Given the state of the Phoenix at present – they sit last on the ladder, with four wins and 17 points, three fewer than the Central Coast Mariners – Greenacre was probably happy to have something positive to talk about.
He is the most exciting young Kiwi player to come through the club since Marco Rojas nearly a decade ago, but he is not yet a finished product, and it will be important for him to take his All Whites callup as inspiration to continue growing, not a sign that he has already made it.
Greenacre has seen Singh control games in the national league, and now he wants him to step up and do it in the A-League as well.
‘‘In the [national league] games he played he was head and shoulders above everybody, in our team, in the opposition – he absolutely ran the show. So now that’s the next step for him – to establish himself in the first team, and dictate how things are done.’’
With the Jets coming to town, Greenacre finds himself up against former Phoenix coach Ernie Merrick, who he was an assistant to as recently as 18 months ago, and he said he was excited about the matchup.
‘‘I know a lot about Ernie, he’s been a huge influence on my coaching, and I’m looking forward to the duel. We still keep in touch and I think the gloves will be off on Saturday, but we’ll have a beer afterwards and chew the fat.’’
Phoenix captain Andrew Durante picked up a hip flexor injury during the week, but is hopeful he will be fit to start.