Phoenix a target for Australian clubs
South Melbourne has emerged as the latest Australian football club to either merge with or take over the Wellington Phoenix.
With the A-League due to expand for the 2019-20 season, the Phoenix have become a target for Australian clubs seeking a place.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported some 10 bidders are now said to be in the mix, with several potential bidders clamouring to either take over the Phoenix’s licence or enter into a partnership deal.
Phoenix chairman Rob Morrison has ruled out selling off their A-League licence but there is still some concern for fans as a possible merger remains on the table. Morrison said ownership group Welnix will not be making any big decisions on the future of the Phoenix until the future of the A-League itself becomes clearer. The club wants a competition run independent of the FFA.
It was reported that the cashedup Southern Expansion, the NSW group fronted by that state’s former premier Morris Iemma, had had talks with the Nix about some kind of merger deal as had another NSW candidate, South West Sydney.
Former Australian national league club South Melbourne says it is also looking to do some sort of deal with the Phoenix or the FFA to take Wellington’s place in the A-League ‘‘as soon as possible’’.
South’s A-League bid boss Bill Papastergiadis said that the most proactive of the traditional former National League powerhouses had initiated talks with the Nix almost a year ago.