Phoenix sign Nelson teen
Promising Nelson teenager Callan Elliot is set to follow in the footsteps of his mentor by playing for the Wellington Phoenix.
The 19-year-old attacking midfielder, who has spent the past three years developing his skills at the Paul Ifill Football Academy, has signed his first professional contract at the club where Ifill finished his own career.
He is set to be unveiled as a Phoenix player later this week and could make his A-League debut as early as Sunday’s season opener against the Newcastle Jets.
Elliot has worked closely with Ifill, playing alongside him for both Tasman United and Wairarapa United.
‘‘Paul’s had a huge influence,’’ Elliot told Stuff earlier this year. ‘‘He’s done it all so he knows what to do and what not to do, and he’s passed it all on to me and the other boys who were at the academy.
‘‘I’ve improved heaps under Paul.’’ Elliot was one of the hottest prospects in the ISPS Handa Premiership last season, playing 15 times for Tasman and scoring two goals, including a match-winner against rivals Canterbury United.
Those performances caught the attention of the Phoenix, with Elliot the only survivor from the first group of trialists that attended the start of pre-season under new coach Mark Rudan.