Top 10 Phoenix players of all time #Top10ForTen

So this was posted on the club website not so long ago ... 

Analysing the top 10 players of all-time to represent the Wellington Phoenix

With cornerstones Andrew Durante and Manny Muscat hitting massive games milestones over the past fortnight, it is only fitting to look back at our top 10 best players to have worn the Phoenix jersey.

The list combines foundation players, club stalwarts and those who made their start in the league at the Phoenix.

#10 – Vince Lia

Vince Lia is the only remaining foundation player at the Wellington Phoenix. Despite not playing the entire 2008-09 season due to a knee injury suffered in the preseason, Lia has always been an important part in the centre of the park for the Phoenix. He is a tough and physical midfielder, characteristics which seem to define most Wellington Phoenix players.

#9 – Marco Rojas

Marco Rojas won his contract with the club through the Retro Ricky Youth Scholarship provided by the Phoenix’s supporter base, the Yellow Fever. In his two year stint at the club Rojas’ only scored twice. However his pace down the wings made him a standout. Rojas owes his career, in part, to being discovered by the Phoenix.

#8 – Ben Sigmund

Ben Sigmund has solidified his role as centre back in the Wellington Phoenix back four since his arrival in 2008-09. After seven years at the club, his partnership with Andrew Durante is one of the most developed in the entire league. His ability to make the crucial tackle or even score a goal in the dying minutes of a match has made Sigmund an essential in any Wellington Phoenix squad.

#7 – Stein Huysegems

Stein Huysegems played in only two seasons for the Phoenix but impressed from the outset. 15 goals in 49 appearances saw him win Wellington’s Golden Boot in the 2013-14 season. An out and out striker, Huysegems played the offside trap brilliantly, with his pace and finishing an important asset to the Phoenix. The Belgian could’ve played on for another year, as was his prowess in front of goal.

#6 – Tim Brown

Tim Brown signed as a foundation member of the club and retired at the end of the 2011-12 season. He made 112 appearances at the club and scored 24 goals from his position in the midfield. Running hard from box to box made Brown as important to the defence as he was to the attack. The cover he provided for the back four as well as his sneaking late runs, unmarked into the box characterised Brown’s six years at the club.

#5 – Manny Muscat

Manny Muscat will make his 150th appearance against Perth Glory this weekend. After seven years at the Phoenix, Muscat has become a first team regular. Another constant in the Phoenix defence, in either full back position or in the midfield sitting just in front of the back four, his drive and determination has become his trademark. Second in the overall appearances tally for the club, Muscat is a stalwart to the Wellington Phoenix.

#4 – Albert Riera

Albert Riera is only in his second season for the club but is seen by many fans as a crucial player to the Phoenix’s success. Named the Phoenix’s Player of the Year for 2013-14, his role as general of the midfield has seen both his attacking and defensive capabilities put on show. Not even a season and a half into his career as a professional footballer, Riera looks set to play a vital role in the Phoenix’s charge towards the finals.

#3 – Shane Smeltz

Shane Smeltz only played for the Phoenix for two seasons but made a huge impact in a short space of time. Smeltz flourished at Wellington, scoring 21 times in 39 appearances. His second season at the Phoenix saw him win the Golden Boot Award as well as the Johnny Warren Medal in 2008-09. From his time at the Phoenix, Smeltz would go on to become one of the most recognisable names in the league.

#2 – Paul Ifill

Paul Ifill is the Phoenix’s all-time leading scorer with 33 goals to his name. He has made 106 appearances over five years but an injury at the end of last season has left the striker contemplating retirement. Ifill is comfortable in the air and with his feet, his ability to place his shots is second to none. His contribution to the club means Ifill’s role in the Phoenix front line will always be valued.

#1 – Andrew Durante

Andrew Durante has been a constant for the Phoenix since he signed for the club in 2008. He has lead the side since his signing and will make his 201st league appearance against Perth Glory on Friday night. A strong and reliable centre back who has only been sent off once and scored three times, Durante is well and truly the heart of the Wellington Phoenix.

http://www.wellingtonphoenix.com/article/top-10-phoenix-players/weg3f98o2gpu1u4dsxmk0qff6

No goalkeeper?

McGlinchey

Lochhead

Kosta

Aloisi 

Could all be added.

Greenacre ahead of Stein?

Paston,Greenacre,Daniel??

Stein's strike rate was much better Greenacre.

Yep Daniel for sure. Have we ever had anyone that could cross like him? Nope, Leo used to find the defender closest to him.

I would definitely have Greenacre or McKain ahead of Lia. You could make cases for Reddy, Vuko and Felipe too, although none of them were around for long either.

Ive heard Hearfield was a bit of a Playa!!!

The question was the top 10 players, not how long they played for us.

I think the criteria is what they have actually done when playing for the Nix though, rather than their stand alone abilty.

Actual List:

10- Mirjan Pavlovic

9- Steven Old

8- Leilei Gao

7- Jimmy Downey

6- Reece Crowther (or Tony Warner)

5- Royce Brownlie

4- George

3- Jiang Chen

2- Cleberson

1-  Toto

I don't mind the Lia call.

He does epitomise the NIX and the character and style we implemented for so long.

I would have probably picked Kosta ahead of Rojas, both owe their careers to the NIX... but Kosta has had more of one thus far.

The website that wrote the article ask on twitter for people's suggestions. I went with:

Smeltz, Ifill, Felipe, Riera, Bonevacia, Reddy, Rojas, Durante, Sigmund, McGlinchey

Felipe de Souza Campos should be number 1 on the list.

I am not sure I could name 9 other people who have played for the Phoenix

Where's Carl Dodd and Plodder? And th3 right back that wqss meant to be an expert at free kicks whom rarely played for us?

Iffill no 1 for me. Still the only player who could regularly  do stuff on the park that would make you go holy shit ! Head and shoulders above 99 % of players in the league when at his best. Maybe only Broich  and MVFC Carlos ahead of him

Ifill is top 10 in the league I reckon.  Got to be no. 1

Think it's a bit early to put Riera in there as well.
It seems to get stuck a bit between picking club stalwarts (Lia & Brown etc) and players with potential (Rojas and Riera). Pretty hard to do both at the same time. I'd tend towards those who made a difference for the club over a couple of seasons at least. With the exception of a Rojas who set the Nix on fire on the back half of his last season.
Ifill, Smeltz, Durante, Mckain, Sigmund, Muscat, Paston, Rojas, Greenacre, Brown

In no order

Smeltz

Sigmund

Durante

Ifill

McKain

Riera

Muscat

Brown

Reddy

Moss

This helps
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Wellington_Phoenix_FC_players

Agree with this, though i'd take Felipe out for Daniel (Felipe was overrated because of that goal against Sydney; Daniel was consistently good for us a real personality around the club) and Paston for Reddy.

Brown hard done by too.

1 Smeltz

2 Ifill

3 McKain

= my top 3

2nd Best has Brown in there. You just cant see him.

No Vuko love?

It really depends on whether the question is best players who have played for the Phoenix, or best performed Phoenix players over the club's existence.

My two lists are quite different depending on how you answer the question.

to many variables to be a worth while exercise IMHO..I would struggle to include new players this year.  Ifill would be my #1 tho.

Needs more picking up and putting down

#brownlove

no matter how I answer the question, I come back to our best players being = Ifill, smeltz and dura (with Riera catching fast). For me, those guys are a head of the pack. their contributions in the games they have played for us have always made a difference. 

Outside of them, shit its hard to pick em and not because of abundance of quality. and I think that is a reflection on our recruiting ( and potentially the Ricki era). I don't think we have recruited well enough to make a 'top 10' a point of discussion of who to leave out, rather than who to include.

point in case Vinnie Lia - great guy, puts his all in, runs around a lot. But would his all ever made 100+ caps for any other a league side? probably not. 
Or even Rojas/Kosta - both showed glimpses with us, but both became the players we know at other clubs. 

For me, long time servants who made big contributions to our most memorable and most successful seasons just have to be there.

That means Brown and Lochead for sure, just no way they shouldn't be in our top 10.

Also Ifill is easily no.1 for me. Easily. 

Shane Smeltz:  21 goals from 39 games.

end of.

would love someone to make a mashup Smeltz v Ifill goals. I think that would get me through pretty much anything...