Durante back again as Nix stay in capital
Wellington Phoenix captain Andrew Durante is returning for one last season and he brings assurances about the club’s future.
Durante has re-signed with the Phoenix for the 2018-19 campaign, and says he did so with the understanding that the team will remain in Wellington.
“It was obviously a key factor that the club stays in Wellington and the current ownership stays as it was,” he told D’Arcy Waldegrave on Radio Sport. “Once I was sure that was going to happen, then it obviously made my decision a lot easier.”
The Phoenix have been involved in endless speculation in the past month regarding their future, being in discussions with a Southwest Sydney consortium about selling a large stake in the club. However, the proposed sale was unlikely to be allowed by Football Federation Australia, and according to Durante, the team will stay as presently constructed for the next two seasons.
Phoenix chairman Rob Morrison has kept Durante in the loop throughout the process, and the 36-year-old defender is confident there will be no sale to Australian bidders.
“What [Morrison’s] been telling me is that the club was never for sale, they were looking for some potential investors to help strengthen the club and see if there was anyone out there across New Zealand or Australia that was willing to help invest into the club. There were some strong candidates in Sydney who were trying to get a foot in the door and jump on board with the Phoenix.
“Currently where it’s at is Rob has decided that he looked into it, to see if there were any viable options. He’s declined all options and will continue running the club over the next two years and hopefully beyond that.”
The club’s long-term future is of extra importance to Durante, who has also taken up a part-time management role off the field, aiming to transition to full-time after his final season on the pitch.
“I’ve been such a big part of this club that my transition after football will hopefully be inside the club — all the talks have been really positive and obviously this is a huge step forward for me, to have a foot in the door of the management side of it.”
The Phoenix have also re-signed promising defender Liberato Cacace on a two-year deal, and are still chasing the signing of a new head coach as their busy off-season rolls on.