Midfielder let go by Phoenix
The Wellington Phoenix released Gui Finkler.
The Brazilian midfielder has been on the outer since he walked out on his team-mates during the 4-1 loss to the Central Coast Mariners on November 25 at Westpac Stadium in Wellington. He was substituted in the 55th minute, walked straight to the changing rooms, before leaving the stadium before the end of the match.
Yesterday, the club announced his contract had been terminated by mutual consent, ending an 18-month spell at the club.
He arrived as a marquee signing ahead of the 2016-17 season, and played 28 matches for the club, scoring seven goals.
But the Kaikoura earthquake in November 2016 took a toll on him and his then-pregnant wife, Karine, who returned to Brazil for the birth of their first child and has remained there since. He missed three games in early 2017 when returning to Brazil to support his wife ahead of the birth of Rafaela.
‘‘When it happened that day it was scary,’’ Finkler said of the earthquake after he returned.
‘‘I went to the club and talked with them with my wife and the club let me make a decision. It wasn’t easy to make the decision. I was really gutted at that time that she was going, but at the same time I was happy she would be safe and have my family over there and her mum and dad.’’
While the walking out incident was a blot on his copybook and left have him out of coach Darije Kalezic’s plans for the immediate future, Finkler was generally seen as one of the nicest guys in the league.
In a statement released by the club yesterday, Finkler said it was a bittersweet moment to be leaving the club.
‘‘I’ve really enjoyed my time in Wellington, when I arrived I felt welcomed by the playing group, they’re a great bunch of boys with good culture.
‘‘Obviously, this season hasn’t gone the way I planned, but these things happen sometimes in football. You always want to leave on a high but people who know me know my personality, know that I have always been a good professional.’’
Phoenix general manager David Dome expressed his disappointment it hadn’t worked out for the talented Brazilian but also his gratitude.
❚ I’m a winner D2