A combination of poor preparation and sheer bad luck meant the All Whites' World Cup aspirations unravelled in spectacular fashion in 2013.
ATTACKING midfielder Michael McGlinchey believes it's a case of 'right time, right place' as he prepares to link with former coach Graham Arnold in the J-League.
Wellington Phoenix coach Ernie Merrick may look for a replacement for the injured Paul Ifill and if he does he will search for a starting-calibre player.
It's not a happy Christmas for Paul Ifill.
They've finally done it.
A season-ending injury to striker Paul Ifill has taken the shine off the Wellington Phoenix's long-awaited first win under new coach Ernie Merrick.
Paul Ifill, the best player in the short but colourful history of the Wellington Phoenix, was in hospital last night with a suspected rupture of his Achilles tendon.
Better late than never.
Head coach Ernie Merrick is very hopeful that Costa Rican international Carlos Hernandez will be fit to take his place in the Wellington Phoenix team to face Sydney FC at Westpac Stadium on Sunday evening.
Auckland City's stand-in coach is confident the Oceania champions will return to the winner's circle in the national league today without five key players, who are still holidaying in Europe.
Having experienced the rarified air of Bolivian football at Stadio Hernando Siles in La Paz, it was inevitable Kenny Cunningham would come down to earth when joining the Wellington Phoenix.
Mark down the name of young New Zealand footballer Megan Lee as a rising sports star.
Ryan Nelsen admits he is on the edge.
Tomorrow's match against Team Wellington may determine whether WaiBop United will remain Premiership playoff contenders for the rest of summer.
Taking the law of averages into account, the Wellington Phoenix should beat someone 5-0 in the next couple of games.
As if 10 winless games wasn't bad enough, the Wellington Phoenix are now having to put out fires around their star player, Carlos Hernandez.
Wellington coach Ernie Merrick has conceded there is no guarantee star playmaker Carlos Hernandez will see out the season following a dispute with the club over a personal matter.
The old adage of practice makes perfect definitely doesn’t apply to the Wellington Phoenix judging by their 1-0 loss to Central Coast Mariners at North Sydney Oval on Thursday night.
The script continues to read the same for the Wellington Phoenix.
Wellington Phoenix coach Ernie Merrick says the club has not fallen out with influential midfielder Carlos Hernandez.
West Ham defender Winston Reid says he hopes to be back in action within a month, following ankle surgery.
Any prospects of the Wellington Phoenix celebrating Christmas early were dashed against reigning A-League champions Central Coast last night as defensive deficiencies and more blunders in front of goal gift-wrapped a 1-0 victory for the Mariners at North Sydney Oval.
When you're in need of a goal you will try anything as a striker.
Wellington Phoenix coach Ernie Merrick has turned to his fountain of youth with a bench shake-up for tomorrow night's away clash with the Central Coast Mariners in Sydney.
Auckland City coach Ramon Tribulietx has put his hand up to be the next All Whites coach, while current assistant Neil Emblen is content to stay in that role.
Incoming New Zealand Football CEO Andy Martin says his first task when he starts the job will be to go over the review into the All Whites' failed World Cup campaign.
The numbers don't lie.
Wellington Phoenix posters doctored to read "homo games" instead of "home games" have been removed from the city's bus fleet.
Wellington striker Jeremy Brockie admits his howling miss in the Phoenix's latest A-League loss is symptomatic of ebbing confidence levels at the A-League club.
Andy Martin has been appointed as the new chief executive of New Zealand Football after an extensive worldwide search that canvassed more than 170 candidates.
The Central Coast Mariners may have to address Michael McGlinchey's absence sooner than anticipated after the Japan-bound All Whites midfielder missed training ahead of tomorrow night's A-League with the Wellington Phoenix in Sydney.
It looks like the Wellington Phoenix A-League soccer side are having a terrible season. Four draws, five losses and no wins don't make pretty reading for a team who are one spot off the bottom of the ladder only because they edge the Melbourne Heart on goal difference.
The winless Wellington Phoenix will have to get straight back on the horse this week as they attempt to snap an unwanted club record.
This was a harsh result - the Phoenix deserved at least a point - but football tends to be unforgiving when you are at your lowest ebb.
Same opposition, same venue and the same result.