Phoenix player apologises to club for alcoholfuelled incident
WELLINGTON: Wellington player Tim Payne has issued a tearful apology for a joyriding incident during the team’s ALeague quarantine period in Sydney which has resulted in a drinkdriving charge.
Football Federation Australia and Phoenix management are investigating the alcoholrelated incident in which Payne drove a golf buggy beyond the team’s remote Sydney facility, where players were undergoing 14 days of selfisolation. Teammate Oliver Sail was a passenger.
All Whites international defender Payne admitted they broke the team’s strict conditions when they left the facility — believed to be the Sydney Academy of Sport near Narrabeen — in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
He was stopped by police and, following a positive breathtest result, was charged with a midrange drinkdriving offence and ordered to appear in a Sydney court in June.
Payne rejected a media report that said he had been arrested and members of the public had been involved in any way.
An emotional Payne told Radio Sport he had apologised to the club and teammates for his actions and was remorseful.
‘‘I just want to say that I’m incredibly sorry and incredibly embarrassed, what I’ve done,’’ Payne said.
‘‘I take full responsibility for my actions and for what unfolded on that night. I’ve let so many people down, including my partner, my family, the club as a whole, individuals such as Uffie [coach Ufuk Talay], who has given me the chance this season.’’
He has spoken to club management and expected to face internal sanctions.
‘‘I did something I'm not proud of and I one hundred percent expect there to be repercussions for those actions.
‘‘It’s one of those things you wish you could take back but I’m fully ready to stand up and face them head on.’’
FFA said in a statement the matter was being taken very seriously and if any misconduct was found to have occurred, it would take action under the code's national code of conduct.
The team returned home on Tuesday afternoon, hours after the ALeague’s suspension had been announced.
Phoenix general manager David Dome said players and staff had made the call to return home on Monday afternoon, after the New Zealand Government announced the country would undergo a border lockdown this week. — AAP