Contracted Players - Return of the Long Pins

That's our starting LB surely - hopefully he can stay fit!

Bring back Jeremy Brockie???? He's a free agent right now.

Sam Sutton signs on for 3 years - his first professional contract.

Intereted to see how he goes. I thought he was a little disappointing considering his hype when he played last year.

Callan Elliot was disappointing until his last handful of games, and he's a few years older than Sam.

I think we sometimes underestimate how long it takes for a young player to adjust to playing in the A-League. Libby was a unique case, he basically looked comfortable from the first time we saw him - that isn't usually what happens.

With a year under his belt in this environment, I'm expecting a lot more from him. Good to see we've locked him to 3 years so we don't make the same mistake as with Callum and Elliot.

Yipe hopefully like Singh & Cacace can be sold in 1-2 years for a bit of a transfer fee, money to go back into the Academy.

Were rumours even last season of some overseas interest.

https://www.wellingtonphoenix.com/news/sam-sutton-...

Two years for TAHW

Wellington Phoenix have announced that kiwi defender Te Atawhai Hudson-Wihongihas re-signed with the club on a two-year contract.

25-year-old Hudson-Wihongienjoyed a solid year with the Phoenix during the 2019/20 season, in which he made 11 appearances including four starts.

All four of those starts came during the season re-start in August, and it was his defensive performance during these matches that caught the attention of fans and critics around the A-League.

Wellington Phoenix Head Coach, Ufuk Talay says that Hudson-Wihongi was given the opportunity to showcase his talent late last season and he did not disappoint.

"Te Atawhai was excellent for us during the season re-start; he was able to demonstrate his ability to impact the game defensively and to make good decisions on and off the ball.

"We'll happy to have him back in the squad, and with [Steven] Taylor's departure at centre back he'll have even more opportunities next season to earn playing time."

Hudson-Wihongisays that with a season with the Phoenix under his belt, he hopes to improve next season and be a solid contributor to the team.

"It feels great to re-sign with the Phoenix; it was a good season last year but obviously a disappointing way to end, but I'm hoping we can go back this year and push onto the Finals.

"I fully enjoyed my first season in the A-League and my goal next season is to play more; I fully enjoyed the minutes I played last season and now with Steven (Taylor) gone I'll be fighting for a starting spot at centre-back alongside our other quality players – that's a goal I've set for myself."

Hudson-Wihongisays that the culture Coach Talay introduced to the Phoenix last season was a big reason why the squad 'jelled together' so well.

"We had a great team last season and he [Talay] drove that; he did a really good job at bringing in players that could not only play, but were good people – and that really helped us throughout the year, especially during the season re-start when the team was all living together."

Couple of updates from Piney's twitter

Phoenix now have 15 players, including 10 kiwis, signed for the new season and beyond

20/21: Davila, Devlin, Fenton, Lewis, Marinovic, McGarry, Sail, Waine

21/22: Hudson-Wihongi, Payne, Piscopo, Sotirio

22/23: Ball, Rufer, Sutton

Major gaps for the Nix are up front and at centre-back.

Discussions are ongoing with both Luke Devere and Liam McGing. Joshua Laws also coming in, who has played CB.

International striker being targeted and possibly an import CB if Devere doesn't stay. 

even if devere stays we still need an import centre back

If DeVere re-signs, might see him and TAWH as our CBs. Well, it looks like that might be the case

Payne offers cover at CB as well.

Who's this Joshua laws?

Australian age group player rumoured to be joining the Nix. Left footed DM.

Part of Australia's U23s (Olyroos), team that qualified for Tokyo under Arnie. So will know Piscopo a bit.

DM, so effectively picked ahead of Devlin for that team, who seemed very unlucky to miss out at the time.

On the books at Fortuna Düsseldorf, for 5 years, but never played for the first team.

https://us.soccerway.com/players/joshua-laws/38952...

Trust Talay with his recruitment.

A good wrap up by Flying Kiwis on how things now stand.

http://theniche-cache.com/football/2020/10/28/ther...

Laws confirmed on a 1 year deal

https://www.wellingtonphoenix.com/news/joshua-laws...

Concludes a busy week of 5 signings. I guess the focus now shifts to finding that visa striker & CB. 

Plus some more Aussie youth prospects likely trialling with the squad at the Gong.

And lastly negotiations with De Vere and Liam McGing to continue. The latter already trialling with WSW.

Seems like a Steinmann replacement, then.

Interesting we have so many 1 year deals.

seems to be the smart thing to do given the uncertain nature of the league and where we are gonna be,

Absolutely understandable, despite the fact it makes me nervous. Great week for the club, really positive seeing so many signings.

Phoenix in advanced talks with 33-year-old Israel international striker Tomer Hemed. 

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/a-league/12...

Not a prolific goal-scorer, seems to be a good finisher, can hold play with strength, but not a pacy one.

with guys like Psicopo and Sotirio still in the squad, pace is not what we need, a decent front man who can work with Ball and the wingers is required. Tomer seems to be a solid answer to that.

Piscopo still committed to us? There were agent rumours.

Ooooohhhh, yeeesss!!!

For a Charlton supporter from the cradle like me (mum from Charlton with an Addicks fanatic grandad) this would be great.

Tomer played for the Addicks last season (on loan from Brighton), though he failed to score in their train wreck of a season.

But regardless, signing a player whose last club was Charlton would be cool for me !!! 

And the Giraffe is back for another year

21 y/o Australian defender Liam McGing has signed a 1-year contract extension with Wellington Phoenix, having featured 3 times off the bench last season.

Phoenix now have 17 players signed for the 2020/21 season.@newstalkzbsport @WgtnPhoenixFC @ALeague pic.twitter.com/DNuoqZYnOD

— Jason Pine (@pineyzb) November 2, 2020

.@LiamMcGing98 is back with your #Nix for the @ALeague 2020/21 Season ?

?: Read more below.

?? | https://t.co/SAVRs4rhYc

— Wellington Phoenix (@WgtnPhoenixFC) November 2, 2020

EXPIRES END OF 2020/21:

Ulises DÁVILA [V]
Luke DEVERE
Cameron DEVLIN [u23]
Louis FENTON
Joshua LAWS [u23]
Clayton LEWIS [u23]
Stefan MARINOVIC
James MCGARRY [u23]
Liam MCGING [u23]
Mirza MURATOVIC [u23]
Matthew RIDENTON
Oliver SAIL
Ben WAINE [u23]


EXPIRES END OF 2021/22:

Te Atawhai HUDSON-WIHONGI
Tim PAYNE
Reno PISCOPO [u23]
Jaushua SOTIRIO


EXPIRES END OF 2022/23:

David BALL [V]
Alex RUFER
Sam Sutton [u23]


[Updated: 16/11]

Good rotation option imo. Need a starting import CB to partner with TAHW now. Think there's plenty of cover there too now with Laws and Payne - shouldn't need a 4th CB with a squad of 18-21, so you'd have to assume this means no DeVere.

DeVere so far not rumoured to be with any other club. So I'd like to think he will sign on for us for another season.

Minimum squad size 18 this season, a smaller squad means some saved expenses. So not expecting alot more signings. maybe 2 x imports + DeVere?  For a total squad size of 20.

Like the look of that Hemed guy. Hope that happens.

New Phoenix players' squad numbers...

James McGarry #13
Joshua Laws #21
Clayton Lewis #23@WgtnPhoenixFC pic.twitter.com/c2hVcdkq9E

— Jason Pine (@pineyzb) November 2, 2020

Further to this, I've been told James McGarry will actually wear #3 this season (when the new training kits arrive), which would suggest the owner of that shirt number last season, Luke Devere, is unlikely to return.

— Jason Pine (@pineyzb) November 2, 2020

If DeVere leaves, most likely TAWH and an import defender at the back. Don't mind that at all.

Maybe he's changed to Steinmann's old no. 5 jersey? Unlikely but I'm hopeful

Hemed played for us. He was a reasonable striker for Championship standards, strong, decent in the air, but he'll rely on service. Given it's A-League, he should bang in a few goals, but don't expect a Krishna type of player.

Underwhelming squad so far, deff heading for the spoon this season with what's on the team sheet atm. I think the problem is Talay asked for more money and the club said no hence the poor squad compared to other A-League clubs right now.

Payne, Ball, Sotirio, Lewis, McGarry, Davila, Piscopo- should be some service there? Suttoo too. 

Edit- oh Fenton, Waine and Cammy too.

Fire Up!

bring back smithy to mod or did he end uo banning himself?

you and doloras need to get a room, lock the door and stay there. No-one is asking you to be a cheerleader but you are so far to the anti-nix side its annoying. Mods will do nothing cos you're technically not breaking the rules but enough is enough.

Royz is usually a troll, but I honestly didn't see anything to disagree with in his latest post.

Wooden spoon for def mainly because we've got no home games, and we saw how well that worked out at the end of last season.

Major major difference in that players can have their families with them this time. They will also just do whole thing better 3rd time round, re player's mental health, getting time away from football etc.

Nix on & off the field are far more settled, than the likes of Newcastle & CCM. WSW also.

Don't see point getting all fired up about Royz, but his angle is just tediously dull and boring now. Get some new material, or just stop altogether. Or try writing the same slop in Russian or something, that would be interesting for awhile.