Wellington Phoenix

The Phoenix remind me a little bit of the Western Force.

A bright start when both franchises debuted but geographically isolated and heading in the wrong direction - in both situations they are/were in constant danger of being dropped from the competition by the governing body.

While there is a strong core of what fans they do have - the fanbase is not great and is much smaller than when they started out.

While each franchise they were able to attract some 'star' players earlier on (Giteau/Daniel) that has really dwindled recently.

Maybe the Phoenix fans are simply to nice to stir up enough attention and bums on seats?

This..

..and

@mariner4life said in What is the point of the Phoenix?:

....but what is the point of Wellington....

This is a question I’ve asked many times.

@hydro11 said in What is the point of the Phoenix?:

I also think it's great that someone like @mariner4life can decide to support a team 11,000 miles away coached by a German and reliant on a couple of Brazilians and a Egyptian, all the while dismissing local football culture. How do you think Liverpool even formed? It was local passionate people who were so small minded that they had a dispute with Everton. That's how clubs are formed, that's what they are built on. I guess if they hadn't done that in 1892, by the time you came along you would have just supported another random club because what's the point in small clubs?

holy shit, i missed this. Really? None of this makes any fucking sense at all super-fan. "local football culture" is 6,000 fans in a 34,000 seat stadium watching a team win once a year? Most of whom probably support a premier league side as well (how dismissive).

Their place is not secure. They are a failure on the pitch (making finals is a lot easier when 60% of the teams in the comp do). The Asian Federation isn't thrilled by the thought of an Oceania side making their Champions League (haha). Even overly optimistic and passionate Aussie soccer writers are starting to see that the A-League is stagnating. And I read an article today that thinks part of it is the lack of pathways for Aussie players. Having 10% of the teams trying to be a pathway for NZ players isn't going to help that.

Little point trying to compare to the Warriors, their own fans acknowledge they are a dumpster fire of epic proportions.

If you would like to change the tack of the argument. Why are they so shit? What needs to change?

They just kicked out their only player who can actually score

Aren't they doing quite well at the moment??

@Hooroo said in What is the point of the Phoenix?:

Aren't they doing quite well at the moment??

I’m not going to let things like facts get in the way of a sarcastic gibe .

@jegga I think it is Long Pins I who has given him the boot - not the Phoenix.

Quite why she felt the need to inform the media, I'm not sure.

@Chris-B said in What is the point of the Phoenix?:

@jegga I think it is Long Pins I who has given him the boot - not the Phoenix.

Quite why she felt the need to inform the media, I'm not sure.

I only read the headline, life’s too short to read about the Phoenix but now that you bought that to my attention there’s a link in article to her Instagram page. A cursory look indicates she spends a lot of time in various states of undress.

@jegga From the article apparently she spends a fair bit of her undressed time having not very good sex in various places about the house.

People who have had dinner at Steven's place will be hoping he employs a good cleaner.

What is scandalous about all this? Rich, unmarried footballer banging multiple tarts. Time to clutch pearls!

@Rancid-Schnitzel said in What is the point of the Phoenix?:

What is scandalous about all this? Rich, unmarried footballer banging multiple tarts.!

Or as I see it living the dream

Hell yeah! Eighth straight win for the Nix!

@Stargazer said in What is the point of the Phoenix?:

Hell yeah! Eighth straight win for the Nix!

Win or "not loss"?

@booboo Oops, yes, the latter! 5 wins, 3 draws

I hope they can keep the momentum going. Currently sitting at 6th, with the same number of points as Adelaide, just the goal difference separating them. Still a loooooong way to go until the play-offs though!

That table doesn't include tonight's win so three points ahead of Adelaide and one point off second, although game in hand for everyone ahead of us.

Impressive comeback tonight, woeful first have but incredible turn around after half time. I can't remember the last time I saw the phoenix playing with that kind of intensity and focus.

Rudan is a great manager. If the phoenix can keep him for three years they'll be doing well. Bigger clubs will be interested soon.

"What is the point of the Phoenix"? Asks the man who has posted almost 9000 times on a sports forum.

Sometimes I come here to check in on how the rugby fraternity is dealing with other sports being in the limelight for two seconds; and this is the bullshit I always see.

The Phoenix are the only professional football team in New Zealand. Many kids play football in NZ. I'll leave it to you to work out why their continued existence is important to many people.

@mariner4life you have been told because this new guy means something!!

@Antisonfire said in What is the point of the Phoenix?:

"What is the point of the Phoenix"? Asks the man who has posted almost 9000 times on a sports forum.

Sometimes I come here to check in on how the rugby fraternity is dealing with other sports being in the limelight for two seconds; and this is the bullshit I always see.

The Phoenix are the only professional football team in New Zealand. Many kids play football in NZ. I'll leave it to you to work out why their continued existence is important to many people.

If you aren’t going to answer the question can you at least give us a clue?

@Antisonfire not sure @mariner4life was having a crack at soccer. Just the Phoenix.

There's been similar questions about the point of the Force, Rebels, Kings and Sunwolves over the years. So don't go all soccer victim on us.

At that point the Phoenix were doing a disservice to soccer in the country and were not something to aspire to. Was a fair question.

@booboo Respectfully disagree. If the Hurricanes have 2 or 3 terrible seasons, how many on here want to get rid of them?

The Phoenix are the only pathway to professional football in New Zealand. Even if they are playing poorly - and yes, every sports team in existence have had periods where they perform below expectations - this is still the case. It doesn't change that fact.

What gets me annoyed is that the Phoenix don't get any support from the FFA (Football Fed Australia) and have been slapped with the requirement of fulfilling a range of 'metrics' in order to get their license renewed. Note that no other club in the A-League needs to hit any kind of similar target..

Now, you would think that this unfair treatment would spark some sort of empathy among sports fans in NZ - no matter which code they support - but that isn't the case. Instead, fans of other codes seem to shit on them even more. It's frustrating.

@Antisonfire said in What is the point of the Phoenix?:

@booboo Respectfully disagree. If the Hurricanes have 2 or 3 terrible seasons, how many on here want to get rid of them?

The Phoenix are the only pathway to professional football in New Zealand. Even if they are playing poorly - and yes, every sports team in existence have had periods where they perform below expectations - this is still the case. It doesn't change that fact.

What gets me annoyed is that the Phoenix don't get any support from the FFA (Football Fed Australia) and have been slapped with the requirement of fulfilling a range of 'metrics' in order to get their license renewed. Note that no other club in the A-League needs to hit any kind of similar target..

Now, you would think that this unfair treatment would spark some sort of empathy among sports fans in NZ - no matter which code they support - but that isn't the case. Instead, fans of other codes seem to shit on them even more. It's frustrating.

Would that be because it is an Aussie league though? I can see their point of view as it is another expensive journey to send teams here.

I don't see why they would want to prop up an underperforming team that isn't helpful to their own country's sport?

@Hooroo said in What is the point of the Phoenix?:

@Antisonfire said in What is the point of the Phoenix?:

@booboo Respectfully disagree. If the Hurricanes have 2 or 3 terrible seasons, how many on here want to get rid of them?

The Phoenix are the only pathway to professional football in New Zealand. Even if they are playing poorly - and yes, every sports team in existence have had periods where they perform below expectations - this is still the case. It doesn't change that fact.

What gets me annoyed is that the Phoenix don't get any support from the FFA (Football Fed Australia) and have been slapped with the requirement of fulfilling a range of 'metrics' in order to get their license renewed. Note that no other club in the A-League needs to hit any kind of similar target..

Now, you would think that this unfair treatment would spark some sort of empathy among sports fans in NZ - no matter which code they support - but that isn't the case. Instead, fans of other codes seem to shit on them even more. It's frustrating.

Would that be because it is an Aussie league though? I can see their point of view as it is another expensive journey to send teams here.

I don't see why they would want to prop up an underperforming team that isn't helpful to their own country's sport?

Like the Warriors you mean?

@canefan said in What is the point of the Phoenix?:

@Hooroo said in What is the point of the Phoenix?:

@Antisonfire said in What is the point of the Phoenix?:

@booboo Respectfully disagree. If the Hurricanes have 2 or 3 terrible seasons, how many on here want to get rid of them?

The Phoenix are the only pathway to professional football in New Zealand. Even if they are playing poorly - and yes, every sports team in existence have had periods where they perform below expectations - this is still the case. It doesn't change that fact.

What gets me annoyed is that the Phoenix don't get any support from the FFA (Football Fed Australia) and have been slapped with the requirement of fulfilling a range of 'metrics' in order to get their license renewed. Note that no other club in the A-League needs to hit any kind of similar target..

Now, you would think that this unfair treatment would spark some sort of empathy among sports fans in NZ - no matter which code they support - but that isn't the case. Instead, fans of other codes seem to shit on them even more. It's frustrating.

Would that be because it is an Aussie league though? I can see their point of view as it is another expensive journey to send teams here.

I don't see why they would want to prop up an underperforming team that isn't helpful to their own country's sport?

Like the Warriors you mean?

Does the NRL want the warriors out? But yes, if that is the case

It's not quite like the Warriors as I understand they actually generate money (big audience in NZ and in Aus, lots of merch).

@Antisonfire said in What is the point of the Phoenix?:

@booboo Respectfully disagree. If the Hurricanes have 2 or 3 terrible seasons, how many on here want to get rid of them?

I want to get rid of them no matter what season they have...

Wouldn't it be similar to NZ allowing an Aus team in the NPC?

I agree that from a NZ point of view the Phoenix are pretty critical but you can forgive A-League fans for not wanting them there. I don't like defending Mr DildoinMouth (@mariner4life) but I think his criticism was more about their contribution to the A League as a whole not their importance to NZ soccer. I'd also say he's far more of a soccer fan than the vast majority here. He's a strong supporter of the team that will not will the PL this year.

@Rancid-Schnitzel Don't get me started on people who support Euro clubs and don't support their local teams..

@Antisonfire said in What is the point of the Phoenix?:

@Rancid-Schnitzel Don't get me started on people who support Euro clubs and don't support their local teams..

A League culled his Townsville team ...

WTF is up with the nix? Up 3-1 in Melbourne at half time. The way they have defended you wouldn't back against them to close it out

@antipodean said in What is the point of the Phoenix?:

@Antisonfire said in What is the point of the Phoenix?:

@booboo Respectfully disagree. If the Hurricanes have 2 or 3 terrible seasons, how many on here want to get rid of them?

I want to get rid of them no matter what season they have...

GFYs

Oops. Now the Phoenix are hanging on for a point with a few minutes to play....

The gaffer

23k for a pointless team at Eden Park; not bad.

Someone looks like he is parlaying his performance in Wellington into a bigger better gig back in Oz

Excellent.

The result — their biggest ever win— sees the Phoenix move five points clear of seventh-place Newcastle Jets, with the top-four now a realistic target for Mark Rudan's side.

They got the opposition coach sacked after the game too - another first (?) for the Phoenix!

@Donsteppa said in What is the point of the Phoenix?:

They got the opposition coach sacked after the game too - another first (?) for the Phoenix!

Watched his post game interview and whilst the result was an absolute shocker, I certainly didn’t expect him to get fired so soon after the match.