Football 101: How to fix the Phoenix

LIAM HYSLOP

Resilience. Leadership. Desire.

Three things which two Wellington Phoenix club stalwarts say need to be brought back if the club is going to return to A-League finals football.

And that’s not from two former players on the outside looking in. That came from captain Andrew Durante and interim head coach Chris Greenacre.

At this point of the season, a forensic examination of their 13th loss of the season at Spotless Stadium in Sydney on Saturday night is not really needed.

They competed well with the Western Sydney Wanderers in the first half, going into the sheds at 1-1, but were a clear second best in the second to lose the match 4-1.

What does need to be examined is where to from here?

Greenacre, who played for the club from 2009-2012 before becoming an assistant coach, said after the loss a harder edge was needed in the squad.

‘‘I was part of a team that made the finals three years consecutively and the togetherness and desire we had as a group of men together - we probably didn’t have as much ability as teams around today - but we had an inner desire to turn results around.

‘‘There were certain results looking back that we really needed. [There were games] we really needed, we must win it to keep our finals hopes alive and

we had a resilience to dig in and be able to do that.

‘‘I’m sure with the right guidance and the right personnel there is no reason why we can’t get back to that.’’

Durante has been at the club for 10 years, with this season their worst for on-field results.

On Friday, he spoke about what made the Phoenix special back in Greenacre’s playing days.

‘‘I think back then it was a group of men, it was a group of hardened professionals that knew their place in the game and knew their roles really well.

‘‘We probably weren’t the easiest on the eyes at times, but we were really difficult to beat and we had a really strong culture.

‘‘Next season the club really needs to look at getting some more experienced players inside the group. Some foreign players that are of high quality and leadership quality, because that’s something we really need to build on as well, some real leaders in the group.’’

So can a new head coach change that? Or do the changes at the club need to go beyond just the coaching staff?

‘‘A mixture of both,’’ Durante said.