Italian defender leaves Phoenix
In a move that comes as no great surprise, defender Marco Rossi has confirmed he will not be returning to the Wellington Phoenix next season.
The Italian centreback joined the club ahead of the 2016-17 season, and made 39 appearances over the past two campaigns, the last of them off the bench last Saturday, as the Phoenix finished their 2017-18 campaign with a 2-1 win over Melbourne City in Auckland.
No signings are expected to be made by the club until a new coach is appointed to succeed Darije Kalezic, who departed in March. The club’s shortlist is down to two names, with The World Game reporting Melbourne Victory assistant Jean-Paul de Marigny is one of them.
Croatian midfielder Goran Paracki, Serbian midfielder Matija Ljujic, and Serbian striker Andrija Kaludjerovic are the club’s other three imports off contract, at the end of their first seasons with the club. Fijian striker Roy Krishna is their other import, but signed a new deal earlier this year, and is on the books for one more season.
The other 10 players off contract are Australians and New Zealanders. One of them, captain Andrew Durante, is almost certain to return, having confirmed his interest in staying last month.
The club held its annual awards this week, with Krishna claiming the player of the year prize, at the end of a campaign where he only scored four goals and eyed a move to Major League Soccer in the United States midway through.
Midfielder Matt Ridenton claimed the under-23 player of the year award and defender Dylan Fox the player’s player award, while Chris Greenacre received the Lloyd Morrison Spirit of the Phoenix award, at the end of a season where he stepped in as a caretaker coach for the third time in five years.