Sail keeping his options open
He had to wait 663 days to play again for Wellington Phoenix, but now that goalkeeper Oli Sail is starting every week, he said the opportunity to get consistent minutes will ultimately decide his A-League future.
The club’s long-term back-up has been in inspired form for the Phoenix this season, justifying coach Ufuk Talay’s bold decision to drop All Whites No 1 Stefan Marinovic after the first six games.
But the 25-year-old’s performances haven’t gone unnoticed by rival clubs. Talay confirmed last month that former coach Mark Rudan’s Western United, who the Phoenix host in Wollongong this Sunday, have made an ambitious play to sign the New Zealander when his contract expires at the end of the current
season.
‘‘Honestly it’s all about playing football for me,’’ Sail said when asked about his future.
‘‘At the moment the opportunity in front of me is to play football for the remainder of the season if I keep holding my spot and I can keep getting picked in the starting XI.
‘‘Obviously those thoughts are in the back of my head but my decision on where I play football will come down to where I can play football.
‘‘For me getting 90 minutes at the end of every week is what it’s all about and that’s what I want to keep doing for the years to come.’’
Sail produced arguably his best performance in a Phoenix shirt during Monday’s 3-2 defeat to the high-flying Melbourne City, pulling off eight saves including a vital stop to deny the dangerous Craig Noone in a twoon-one situation that looked for all money to result in another City goal.
Sail said he was flattered by the interest from Western and confirmed the Phoenix have indicated that they would like to keep him on. But he also stressed he was in no rush to make a decision on his future.
After waiting almost two years in between games prior to this season, he clearly has plenty of patience.