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SELF BELIEF PAYS OFF FOR <?:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">GRIFFITHS</st1:City></st1:place><o:p></o:p></SPAN>
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Former Perth Glory defender Brent Griffiths today put pen to paper and officially became a Wellington Phoenix player.<o:p></o:p></SPAN>
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The one-year contract the 21-year-old signed ended more than six months anguish during which he visited Adelaide United and Central Coast Mariners en route to Wellington.<o:p></o:p></SPAN>
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To say <st1:City w:st="on">Griffiths</st1:City> was delighted to join the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Phoenix</st1:City></st1:place> would be an understatement.<o:p></o:p></SPAN>
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�When [<st1:City w:st="on">Perth</st1:City> coach> Ian Ferguson told me my contract wouldn�t be renewed I didn�t realise just what a tough time I had ahead of me,� <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Griffiths</st1:City></st1:place> said.<o:p></o:p></SPAN>
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�When something like that happens it is easy to start feeling you aren�t good enough.<o:p></o:p></SPAN>
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�That is when you need your family and friends to keep you going.<o:p></o:p></SPAN>
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�I went to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Adelaide</st1:City></st1:place> on a two-week trial and when that didn�t work out the Mariners said I could train with them.<o:p></o:p></SPAN>
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�I was there 10 weeks and that training stood me in good stead when my agent Nik Mandic arranged for me to trial with the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Phoenix</st1:City></st1:place>.<o:p></o:p></SPAN>
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�It was a fantastic relief when Ricki Herbert said he wanted me to join the club because it has been a really tough time.<o:p></o:p></SPAN>
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�Six months without pay is hard, especially when I have a mortgage on an apartment back in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Perth</st1:City></st1:place> to keep up with.<o:p></o:p></SPAN>
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�I had to put off some payments and there was a time when I began to think it might be time to look for a job outside football.<o:p></o:p></SPAN>
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�Whenever I thought that way I told myself I was good enough to get back into the A-League, and in the end that self-belief has paid off.�<o:p></o:p></SPAN>
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When <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Griffiths</st1:City></st1:place> took the field against the Mariners in Tauranga last Sunday he found himself facing his brother Rostyn.<o:p></o:p></SPAN>
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The pair had been at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Perth</st1:City></st1:place> together but didn�t get to play a full game together.<o:p></o:p></SPAN>
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�When he was in the team I always seemed to be injured or suspended,� <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Griffiths</st1:City></st1:place> said.<o:p></o:p></SPAN>
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�I didn�t get much time against him Tauranga either. Now I want to get a full game against him and come out on the winning side!�<o:p></o:p></SPAN>
21 years old, 9 A league games. Can't really get exicited.