Marco Rojas - The retirement of the Kiwi Messi

Friar Tuck

Banzai!...AIEEE!!!

Is he still up for playing for the AWs?

I remember reading somewhere that he said he wants to play at the 2026 World Cup.

to my mind there are 3 things which set him up to have a really good crack at doing so.

first he is joining what looks like a good set up with a team doing well and enjoying it's football. that goes quite a long way in itself to helping good performance. Rojas has an opportunity to do something similar as Barbarousses who enjoyed a cracker season and led the all whites attack at the OFC, get fully fit and have a very good season.

second he is back in the selectors vision week in, week out. good form gets noticed. in some obscure country or off the beaten trackm like he was in Chile, harder for selectors to see where he is at. there is often an assumption that someone playing in europe will be better than someone at home, eg Stamenic, Bell or Garbutt being better than Rufer because they are plaaying in Europe. May or may not be correct but that's sometimes an assumption made. Old and Just must be better than Rojas now as they are in/almost in Europe. However one will be Etienne second team or loaned out for a period. So Rojas has the chance to show his wares on a consistent basis to the selectors.

Lastly it should be easier to get released from Kiwi clubs for all white games. Colo Colo probably couldn't care less about NZ games, same any big foreign club. At least NZ clubs have a bit more invested and pressure on them to release our lads for internationals. easier for Rojas to say yes if he gets the call up.

Ok, What "chant" does he get??

I'm excited to see him do well here, but the one-year deal screams use us to get fit and in the shop window and gone.  I guess it suits both him and us, but a couple of years would have been good.

Maybe we got him for a good price as a result.  So maybe just good business.

mjp2

I'm excited to see him do well here, but the one-year deal screams use us to get fit and in the shop window and gone.  I guess it suits both him and us, but a couple of years would have been good.

Maybe we got him for a good price as a result.  So maybe just good business.

I get the feeling that Marco just wants to be very careful about his return to football. Hopefully he’s a revelation and extends though.

mjp2

I'm excited to see him do well here, but the one-year deal screams use us to get fit and in the shop window and gone.  I guess it suits both him and us, but a couple of years would have been good.

Maybe we got him for a good price as a result.  So maybe just good business.

It could be from our end too. I presume he's on good coin, and with his injury history too it's probably sensible for both parties. 

Rojas will be on decent, but I suspect not great coin.

He's 32 and has barely played in the last 18 months. Reputation will go a litle ways, but only so far.

I would expect him a contract more geared towards bonuses - play well, earn the extra money you want etc.

I do think he will be good for Kosta though. Kosta makes a lot of great runs, but we didn't always find him - missed someone who could play those killer balls. Hopefully Rojas can offer that.

I thought marco was ‘judas’ to you all at one stage? If I were you I’d be waiting until he proves himself instead of taking the paycheque 

Smeltz was the main Judas. Don’t remember Rojas stinging as much, but he certainly took the piss a bit and considered Melbourne his home. Went talking about playing CAM, was crap for a year and then played on the wing. And how great all the training facilities were. 

Like Singh in Germany, kind of gutted it didn’t work out there for Marco for whatever reason. 

Perhaps the guys who organised the scholarship feel a bit differently.

Still what was said at the time is probably still public record here somewhere! 

AFC Beast

I thought marco was ‘judas’ to you all at one stage? If I were you I’d be waiting until he proves himself instead of taking the paycheque 

I assume you've read the entirety of the content of this thread where, for many of us, the sting of how he left remains. I for one was not happy when he came back, but am open to my mind being changed if he shows the skills eh has for Victory when he played there. His attitude seems to have matured as he has aged, and you see and hear this in his interviews. Maybe his father hasnt got the influence he did when Marco was a kid, so demanding more game time when you've been injured for the better part of a season and expecting top level training facilities  etc wasnt Marco's demand but his fathers? Either way he has some time to prove that he is worth the welcome back - this was dented when the first thing that happened was the injury (that brought back some memories)

Marco left at the time when Terry's empire was crashing; right move for him when things looked rocky. It was all the wank about Melbourne facilities that means I don't support his return.

Was one of those who was gutted when Marco left more from a purely selfish point of view that i think i got invested in him because i was there the nite he got his YF scholarship. Then to see him make his debut and the hope he would kick on with us.
But due to injuries and decent playing time he wasnt given a decent shot at establishing his place in the team. Think his father played a big part in how that was handled which wasnt good at the time.
Have spoken to him 2/3 times since he has come back and every time he has impressed me with his attitude   and determination to do well.
So what if he is here to put himself in the "shop window" it obviously suits both him and Chief thinks us and is that any different from any other player who signs a one year contract. Sometimes people forget its these guys jobs and they have to do what they think is best for them at the time.

Seems as though suggestions of a season-ending injury for Marco Rojas have been premature. He's back training with Wellington Phoenix and could feature as early as March. @newstalkzbsport

— Jason Pine (@pineynz) February 18, 2025

Marco's back in training apparently according to Piney

Incredibly vague from Piney there. Couldn't have been any more specific than "maybe sometime in March" ?

Based on some of Chiefy's inconsistent comments re player availability this season, I don't see the Nix telling Piney more than a 'maybe in March' tidbit. 

March is 2 weeks away, Sat 8th likely the earliest he'd return and that will be from the bench. 7 more games after that. Given his slow start to the season, I'd guess he wont be starting or impacting many of those.

Wait, what? Isn't Sat 8th just over 2 weeks away...?

queenofthequail

Wait, what? Isn't Sat 8th just over 2 weeks away...?

yeah you're right, sorry.

I see your point, though, and I suspect you'll probably be proven correct...

As long as Marco Marches onto the pitch, we will all be happy.

Doesn’t history prove his father to be right?

ballane

Was one of those who was gutted when Marco left more from a purely selfish point of view that i think i got invested in him because i was there the nite he got his YF scholarship. Then to see him make his debut and the hope he would kick on with us.
But due to injuries and decent playing time he wasnt given a decent shot at establishing his place in the team. Think his father played a big part in how that was handled which wasnt good at the time.
Have spoken to him 2/3 times since he has come back and every time he has impressed me with his attitude   and determination to do well.
So what if he is here to put himself in the "shop window" it obviously suits both him and Chief thinks us and is that any different from any other player who signs a one year contract. Sometimes people forget its these guys jobs and they have to do what they think is best for them at the time.

Napier Phoenix

Doesn’t history prove his father to be right?

ballane

Was one of those who was gutted when Marco left more from a purely selfish point of view that i think i got invested in him because i was there the nite he got his YF scholarship. Then to see him make his debut and the hope he would kick on with us.
But due to injuries and decent playing time he wasnt given a decent shot at establishing his place in the team. Think his father played a big part in how that was handled which wasnt good at the time.
Have spoken to him 2/3 times since he has come back and every time he has impressed me with his attitude   and determination to do well.
So what if he is here to put himself in the "shop window" it obviously suits both him and Chief thinks us and is that any different from any other player who signs a one year contract. Sometimes people forget its these guys jobs and they have to do what they think is best for them at the time.

He might have been right, but that is not a Kiwi thing to do - we expected him to make his son to stay here out of sheer gratitude for the chance he was given.
Yes, people forget that this is professional life, etc etc, but we get tied up in patriotic feelings as if we were still in the era of amateur sport.
Has the nation ever forgiven Sir Russell Coutts?

Talks to Goran and 🥄ley

Marco showing his age uses Facebook.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/360641272/wellington-phoenix-lose-star-midfielder-chico-geraldes-rest-season

No media attended coach Giancarlo Italiano’s weekly press conference on Friday and he wasn’t asked about Rojas’ departure by the club’s media staff.

The 33-year-old shed more light on his exit in a Facebook post on Friday afternoon, where he said: “Just right now I’m not going to publicly confirm a retirement.”

coochiee

Marco showing his age uses Facebook.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/360641272/wellington-phoenix-lose-star-midfielder-chico-geraldes-rest-season

No media attended coach Giancarlo Italiano’s weekly press conference on Friday and he wasn’t asked about Rojas’ departure by the club’s media staff.

The 33-year-old shed more light on his exit in a Facebook post on Friday afternoon, where he said: “Just right now I’m not going to publicly confirm a retirement.”

“If you hear no new news, it is because I am off to spend some time in my world outside of football, and consider all possibilities.”

Hasnt he indicated in the past he wanted to spend more time with family in Chile. Respect his right to do as he wants.

"No media attended coach Giancarlo Italiano’s weekly press conference on Friday"

What the hell?

No, seriously, what the hell is this? A boycott?

I guess the media has given up, they know he'll just say the same things and knows public interest is low

ballane

coochiee

Marco showing his age uses Facebook.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/360641272/wellington-phoenix-lose-star-midfielder-chico-geraldes-rest-season

No media attended coach Giancarlo Italiano’s weekly press conference on Friday and he wasn’t asked about Rojas’ departure by the club’s media staff.

The 33-year-old shed more light on his exit in a Facebook post on Friday afternoon, where he said: “Just right now I’m not going to publicly confirm a retirement.”

“If you hear no new news, it is because I am off to spend some time in my world outside of football, and consider all possibilities.”

Hasnt he indicated in the past he wanted to spend more time with family in Chile. Respect his right to do as he wants.

I thought he did that at Colo Colo where he barely played a few years back.

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maybe we haven't seen the last of Marco on a football pitch

Ffs mate.  Just lace up the boots and go for it bud.  🙄

imanixsupporter

Screenshot_20250524_221528_Facebook.jpg 314.39 KB

maybe we haven't seen the last of Marco on a football pitch

Ffs mate

He sounds very philosophical.  I hope he keeps playing even though he'll never wear Nix colours again. 

Think he should definitely try to find somewhere. If he stays fit and if he is playing at or above the A league standard, you would think he would be picked for the World Cup.

Bros so full of shark, it's a bit cringe

That is only part of his facebook post. He spoke about his love of football, where it came from, his injuries, and how hard it is to stay away. Quite an open soulful person

Monto

Bros so full of shark, it's a bit cringe

Why so? I find him being open and expressive a fresh change from the normal drivel players post

Yeah, god forbid a man talks about feelings...

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Retired from football apparently: https://www.reddit.com/r/Aleague/comments/1mb6o4k/marco_rojas_has_retired_from_professional_football/

Will go down in history as one of the greatest A League players of all time.

See if he wants to play in my Sunday League team :)

https://youtube.com/@theretiredaflete?si=RqpCwiNZovjErA0G

His new YouTube channel. 

(I note Declan Edge has made an account just to contact him in the comments)

Great player.

Shame it never worked out for him at the beginning with Stuttgart with injuries.

While his best performances were with Victory along with Ifill, the only Nix player who I would get excited every time he touched the ball.