Roar ready for fallout
Phoenix axing claim to spur Kiwis
BRISBANE Roar are bracing themselves for a Wellington backlash tomorrow after the Phoenix’s place in the A-League beyond this season was thrown into jeopardy.
A southern report yesterday suggested a third Sydney team was being lined up to replace the Phoenix, whose five-year A-League licence expires at the end of this season.
Small crowds, low membership numbers, a failure to lure big dollars for broadcast rights and the Asian Football Confederation’s dislike of a Kiwi team playing in an Australian competition are factors working against the Phoenix’s licence being renewed.
A 10-team competition remains Football Federation Australia’s preference, with a club from Sydney’s Sutherland Shire reportedly the frontrunner to replace the Phoenix in the A-League.
A second Brisbane team remains an FFA goal, however, next season is perhaps too soon considering the ongoing work to repair the Roar brand.
Phoenix general manager David Dome came out on the front foot yesterday, telling New Zealand Radio Sport that A-League boss Damien de Bohun had assured him Wellington would again be in the A-League next season.
Roar coach John Aloisi was reluctant to comment on whether or not the Phoenix should be in the A-League.
But he was full of praise for the Phoenix’s contribution to the competition and expected an early onslaught tomorrow when the first-placed Roar bid for a hat-trick of wins.
“All I can say is Wellington, while they’ve been in (the A-League), football-wise they’ve been very good – they’ve come a long way,” Aloisi said.
“The first season they didn’t get the results but then after that they’ve played some fantastic football and got into the finals quite a few times.
“They’re a team that’s always played an attractive style of football as well. They’re a team that will come flying out, they’ll put you under immense pressure.’’
As expected, the Roar will travel to Wellington today without first-choice goalkeeper Michael Theo. Scans revealed that what was originally thought to be a hip flexor injury was in fact a quad problem that will rule the five-time A-League championship winner out for at least one match.
Theo will be replaced by Jamie Young.
``He’s been training really well,’’ Aloisi said. “Even when he didn’t start the first two games he didn’t put his head down, he just kept going and that shows the rest of the players that you keep working because you don’t know when your opportunity’s going to come up and he gets it this weekend.”