Wellington Phoenix Men

Phoenix Staff

479 replies · 111,780 views
8 months ago

You missed Luciano Trani. Nicki's assistant.  He ran all the training sessions. I'm surprised no one gave him a shot at managing unless he chose to stay as an assistant.  Imho, he was a very good coach. Players liked him. He pushed them to improve. Awesome to chat with. Bit like Chiefy, focused on football.
Proud to have attended the first 175 Consecutive "Home" Wellington Phoenix "A League" Games !!

The Ruf, The Ruf, The Ruf is on Fire!!

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8 months ago · edited 8 months ago · History
Tyler
Lots of NZ teams are coached by foreigners. Most (well, over half) Central League clubs are coached by non-kiwis.

The academy has a few kiwis involved 

Also worth noting that alot of our most experienced ex players never return to live in NZ. Nelsen, Elliott, Reid, Moss, Smeltz, Coveny, Bertos, Lochhead, Brown, Brockie, WeeMac, Killen* to name just a few.

Many of these guys have got into coaching after playing. Dan Keat & Cameron Knowles are others coaching overseas off the top of my head. It is a proper football brain drain.

Must be nearly half of that 2010 WC squad not living in Aotearoa. Falloon and Smith will soon leave. Neither Wood or Thomas will permanently return to NZ. That's a lot of top level football intellectual property that never returns.

Contrast that to say the UK where the vast majority of ex players stay living in Blighty, many moving into coaching.

*asterix for obvious reasons but putting the dodgy stuff aside, was one of our better AWs players

Lee Padmore and Steve Coleman (both Kiwis?) were 2 guys around the Academy that might have got roles with the first team had they stayed??
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8 months ago · edited 8 months ago · History
Our new Brazilian assistant coach arrives in NZ today so he should be out there for training next week and the Australia cup game 
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8 months ago
Chiefytheman
Our new Brazilian assistant coach arrives in NZ today so he should be out there for training next week and the Australia cup game 

I hope he doesn't mind the cold.
Proud to have attended the first 175 Consecutive "Home" Wellington Phoenix "A League" Games !!

The Ruf, The Ruf, The Ruf is on Fire!!

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8 months ago
Really surprised that we have a Brazilian asst coach. Hope it is a good decision. 

Oi Oi Edgecumbe... lets have a clean sheet

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8 months ago
HattyCW
Will be nice for GSR to have that Brazilian connection.

A long, long time ago, GSR's father Jorginho and Guimaraes were opponents.

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/kelly-guimaraes/spieleGegeneinander/spieler/52393/plus/0?gegner=353787&kriterium=2&wettbewerb=&liga=&verein=&pos=&status=0

I wonder if he has had any business dealings with Daniel - Who is an Agent nowdays. He could put  in a good word to any potential players for us.
Proud to have attended the first 175 Consecutive "Home" Wellington Phoenix "A League" Games !!

The Ruf, The Ruf, The Ruf is on Fire!!

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8 months ago
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8 months ago · edited 8 months ago · History
$91k-138k range. Unsure if that AUD or NZD as posted on Seek AU
coochiee
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8 months ago
'Head of Customer'

What does this even mean?

360footballnews.com

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8 months ago
reg22
'Head of Customer'

What does this even mean?
The Head of Customer is responsible for leading and implementing the customer strategy across Wellington Phoenix FC, ensuring the club places its fans and customers at the heart of all decision-making. Responsible for the planning, development and implementation of all the club’s go-to-market strategies (both external and internal) across all communications platforms to drive all elements of the consumer business including merchandise, membership and ticket sales.
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8 months ago
Ranix
reg22
'Head of Customer'

What does this even mean?
The Head of Customer is responsible for leading and implementing the customer strategy across Wellington Phoenix FC, ensuring the club places its fans and customers at the heart of all decision-making. Responsible for the planning, development and implementation of all the club’s go-to-market strategies (both external and internal) across all communications platforms to drive all elements of the consumer business including merchandise, membership and ticket sales.

So, that would be 'Head of Customer Strategy'.

And thankfully not heads on spikes or anything like that. 

360footballnews.com

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7 months ago
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7 months ago
What’s left in terms of staff to sign up?
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7 months ago · edited 7 months ago · History
https://www.friendsoffootballnz.com/2025/08/27/wellington-phoenix-complete-backroom-staff-for-mens-a-league-squad/

Wellington Phoenix head coach Giancarlo Italiano has completed his backroom team for the new men’s A-League season.

Former Papua New Guinea international Reggie Davani has been appointed the Phoenix men’s team’s head analyst and second assistant coach.

Davani will be familiar to some New Zealand football fans, especially in Auckland, having played for Metro FC, North Shore United, Auckland City and Bay Olympic from 2003 to 2007.
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6 months ago · edited 6 months ago · History
Luke Tongue gets promoted. 👏 



For reference, and its mentioned in the press release too, but Reggie Davani has resigned and thats why Tongue has been promoted.

Davani was announced for this role some 41 days back in late August.
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6 months ago · edited 6 months ago · History
Do we know why Davani resigned (beyond the old compassionate reasons), and how we can make it Italiano's fault?

Valley FC til I die?

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6 months ago · edited 6 months ago · History
Nelfoos
Do we know why Davani resigned (beyond the old compassionate reasons), and how we can make it Italiano's fault?

Aren’t we supposed to blame Dome?

Seriously though, I guess the timing works out with Greenacre coming home from Chile to take back the reins of the Reserves’ NL campaign.
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6 months ago
Tongue will have this role licked! I'll get me coat.
Proud to have attended the first 175 Consecutive "Home" Wellington Phoenix "A League" Games !!

The Ruf, The Ruf, The Ruf is on Fire!!

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6 months ago
Nelfoos
Do we know why Davani resigned (beyond the old compassionate reasons), and how we can make it Italiano's fault?
Davani decided he did not want to be the lead analyst, even though that's a large part of what he signed on for. Wanted assistant coaching responsibilities only. It was 100% not Italiano's fault.
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6 months ago · edited 6 months ago · History
Badly written job description/business plan by Dome?

Auckland will rise once more

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6 months ago · edited 6 months ago · History
AucklandPhoenix
Badly written job description/business plan by Dome?

or just an eager applicant who thought the job would entail more or less of one of the listed responsibilities - happens all the time. Plus I doubt the GM is writing job descriptions, that's and HR/Recruitment function. 

Queenslander 3x a year.

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6 months ago
Chiefy seems to have a high attrition rate of those that work with him.  
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6 months ago
Bradman99
Chiefy seems to have a high attrition rate of those that work with him.  

A league turnover is high. And he’s changing things up deliberately this season and bringing in new people. 


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6 months ago
AucklandPhoenix
Badly written job description/business plan by Dome?
Really he applies for a head analyst job and expects to be an assistant coach,yet you somehow want to blame Domey.

GET YOUR SHIRTS OFF FOR THE BOYS

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6 months ago
martinb
Bradman99
Chiefy seems to have a high attrition rate of those that work with him.  

A league turnover is high. And he’s changing things up deliberately this season and bringing in new people. 
That and staff turnover hasnt been as high as the poster likes to claim. Just someone else trying to blame stuff on Chief.

GET YOUR SHIRTS OFF FOR THE BOYS

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6 months ago
ballane
martinb
Bradman99
Chiefy seems to have a high attrition rate of those that work with him.  

A league turnover is high. And he’s changing things up deliberately this season and bringing in new people. 
That and staff turnover hasnt been as high as the poster likes to claim. Just someone else trying to blame stuff on Chief.
Staff turnover is certainly considerable. And you would think Chiefy would interview these people before they were hired and they would get a verbal description of what the job expectations were. For me staff leaving this close to season start is not a good look. Either a wrong decision on the hire or all party's not happy. 
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6 months ago
Ranix
ballane
martinb
Bradman99
Chiefy seems to have a high attrition rate of those that work with him.  

A league turnover is high. And he’s changing things up deliberately this season and bringing in new people. 
That and staff turnover hasnt been as high as the poster likes to claim. Just someone else trying to blame stuff on Chief.
Staff turnover is certainly considerable. And you would think Chiefy would interview these people before they were hired and they would get a verbal description of what the job expectations were. For me staff leaving this close to season start is not a good look. Either a wrong decision on the hire or all party's not happy. 
I for one also instantly blame one manager in a large company when a brand new hire leaves after a few months.
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6 months ago
They have an HR department do they?
theprof
AucklandPhoenix
Badly written job description/business plan by Dome?

or just an eager applicant who thought the job would entail more or less of one of the listed responsibilities - happens all the time. Plus I doubt the GM is writing job descriptions, that's and HR/Recruitment function. 
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6 months ago
Napier Phoenix
They have an HR department do they?
theprof
AucklandPhoenix
Badly written job description/business plan by Dome?

or just an eager applicant who thought the job would entail more or less of one of the listed responsibilities - happens all the time. Plus I doubt the GM is writing job descriptions, that's and HR/Recruitment function. 

no but I'd expect they use external providers,, like a good chunk pf small businesses

Queenslander 3x a year.

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6 months ago · edited 6 months ago · History
Just had a look at their website.

Not including players, there are 72 employees!!



Auckland will rise once more

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6 months ago
AucklandPhoenix
Just had a look at their website.

Not including players, there are 72 employees!!


I think there are a bit less because people are listed twice i.e. Dome, Vannisselroy, Tom Shaw, Jamie Hassett etc.
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5 months ago
So where then is the external expertise required to select football coaching/analysis staff? I would think the club would handle the actual interviews etc in-house, if they have no HR department as such, one or all of Dome, Chief and Gill would be on the panel I would think.
theprof
Napier Phoenix
They have an HR department do they?
theprof
AucklandPhoenix
Badly written job description/business plan by Dome?

or just an eager applicant who thought the job would entail more or less of one of the listed responsibilities - happens all the time. Plus I doubt the GM is writing job descriptions, that's and HR/Recruitment function. 

no but I'd expect they use external providers,, like a good chunk pf small businesses
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5 months ago · edited 5 months ago · History
At the members’ day in April they talked a bit about the player selection process - once they found a viable candidate Gilly (supported by his staff no doubt) would work up the proposal into something that could be put in front of the Football Committee for approval.

I’m guessing there’s a similar process for coaching staff, probably lighter weight and involving different people, but as always that’s me speculating with no internal knowledge of the club’s workings.

As for back office staff that’s presumably a lot more like any business, where it would make sense to use an external recruitment agency then ultimately Dome would sign off on the appointment.
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5 months ago
Napier Phoenix
So where then is the external expertise required to select football coaching/analysis staff? I would think the club would handle the actual interviews etc in-house, if they have no HR department as such, one or all of Dome, Chief and Gill would be on the panel I would think.
theprof
Napier Phoenix
They have an HR department do they?
theprof
AucklandPhoenix
Badly written job description/business plan by Dome?

or just an eager applicant who thought the job would entail more or less of one of the listed responsibilities - happens all the time. Plus I doubt the GM is writing job descriptions, that's and HR/Recruitment function. 

no but I'd expect they use external providers,, like a good chunk pf small businesses

sure, interviews etc might well be handled in house but job descriptions/adverts and the actual recruitment process pre-interview/selection can be outsourced

Queenslander 3x a year.

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3 months ago
As noted by coochiee in the Northern League thread, Ben Sippola our academy business director is off to Auckland United to be men’s head coach and run their academy setup.

It’s not clear from the staff list whether he would’ve reported to Humphries or directly to Dome while she concentrated on the footballing side of the academy. Either way, I wonder if the arrival of the charter school is leading to a shake-up of the academy structure, e.g. if providing boarding for young players falls more naturally under the school?
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3 months ago
Note Sippola was presumably part time WFH with that role at the Nix.

He was living and coaching in Wanaka, wasn’t he?
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about 2 months ago
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