Wellington Mayor Celia Wade-Brown says she is disappointed at the decision of Football Federation Australia to reject the Wellington Phoenix bid for a 10-year A-League licence extension.
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The club is in an unusual position – it is not only in a different country to other A-League clubs but also a different regional federation, Oceania, not Asia. Rather, it pours doubt onto the future of the New Zealand-based club which has been actively seeking a license extension to no avail thus far.
However, given FFA boss David Gallop’s assertion that the board’s unwillingness to stretch their life beyond that was “in the best interests of Australian football”, to stay until 2019/20 may only prolong the inevitable.
“FFA has carefully evaluated the role and contribution of the Wellington franchise in terms of game development, player pathway, commercial factors, broadcast rights and the long-term strategic outlook”, he said in a statement.
As the Phoenix contemplate their next move after being denied a 10-year extension to their A-League licence, their players face the increasing likelihood they’ll need to find new homes next season.
New Zealand Football (NZF) has finally broken its silence on the Wellington Phoenix saga, declaring it will help fight to keep the club in the A-League.
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PFA chief Adam Vivian, who has been locked in talks with distressed Phoenix players, said the competition couldn’t afford to lose another team – despite talk of a third Sydney franchise being lined up as a replacement.
Wellington Phoenix offered no comment following the statement’s release.
Several players, along with coach Ernie Merrick, hold contracts that extend beyond this season. The fact that it is in New Zealand is the problem for the FFA.
“I know that derbies are special but how many derbies can you have?”
Wellington Phoenix midfielder Roly Bonevacia.
Within hours of the FFA announcing it wasn’t hot on having the Phoenix in the A-League, a petition to “Save The Wellington Phoenix” was launched on Change.org.
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Petition organiser JP Bayliss said “so as it stands, this is the last season we will be seeing the Phoenix playing in the A-League”. “That’s what the Phoenix is all about”.
