WELNIX ANNOUNCES FOOTBALL GRASSROOTS PROGRAMME
The ownership consortium of the Wellington Phoenix,
Welnix LP, today announced it is establishing a football finishing school with
a focus on preparing promising youth players for professional careers.
Based in Wellington, the programme will bring together
the best young talent to train with the Phoenix. Very much an initiative which
looks at developing the football talent identified at a grassroots level,
Welnix board member Gareth Morgan says the programme has been designed to be a
finishing school for the country�s best amateur talent.
�We have some amazing young footballers in New Zealand
but there is no pathway for these players to develop their skills and migrate
into professional contracts without leaving New Zealand,� Morgan said.
�Our vision is to take these talented individuals from
around the country, bring them to Wellington to train and play with the
Phoenix, and those that make the grade will start their professional careers at
the Phoenix� Morgan said.
�While the programme provides the best of our youth
players with the option of a professional football career, the Phoenix�s future
is also more secure if our best up and coming players can join our club.
�We have a wonderful team at the Phoenix but as we
found out pretty quickly when we took over, there is not enough player depth,
which leaves us vulnerable. We�ve noticed how our competitors in the A-League
are able to blood new young players, which insures their senior squad against
injuries and player loss. We need this capability here at the Phoenix.
�The players will be amateur until they are
sufficiently skilled to be offered Phoenix contracts, and we want to see more
of our local talent who are making waves at the grassroots level entering into
our playing ranks. Exposing these lads to the excellence of a professional
football organisation and the expertise of Ricki Herbert and his staff is the
first step.
�The vision for the Welnix Grassroots programme
extends beyond preparing a squad of top amateur players to offering
comprehensive training and skills development programmes for women, boys and
girls, based at a fully functional football centre of excellence with top-class
amenities.
�With an outreach programme that provides Phoenix
skills courses and coaching clinics throughout New Zealand we are determined to
help the game here.
�We believe the model is quite inspirational and we
are keen to work alongside New Zealand Football, its Federations and Clubs in
making football, which is already the sport of choice for so many New
Zealanders, underpin the professional level of the code right here at home.
�We�re very excited about the potential to achieve
something truly exceptional with this programme. It is the start of a new era
and will raise the number of New Zealanders good enough to join our
professional team.�
At a glance
1. The finishing school will have players in residence in Wellington by
June 2012
2. Eight players 20 years old or younger will be asked to join this season
3. These eight players will train and play with the Phoenix
4. Each player will be offered appropriate accommodation, allowances and
schooling opportunities developed specifically for each player.
5. The eight players will be eligible to play for Team Wellington in the
ASB premiership.
6. The eight players will combine with Phoenix players to play midweek
friendly games against squads around the country.
7. During the winter season the players will play in the local Wellington
club competition.
Louis
Fenton