A #SaveTheNix Yarn - Part One: Emotional
To put matters into the simplest form I can - the Football Federation of Australina (FFA) don't want the Wellington Phoenix in the A-League. Our Phoenix, your Phoenix, Aotearoa's Phoenix saw their bid for a 10 year extension to their A-League licence rejected by the FFA with the best they could offer in return being a four year licence.
Being allowed to compete in the A-League for four more years is nothing more than a token gesture and I would argue that a four year licence is worse than being booted out right now. What's the point in sponsoring the Wellington Phoenix, or joining the Nix as a player if there is no future to look forward to or a lack of at least the chance to grow and develop? This is the situation that faces the Phoenix, all thanks to the FFA.
There's emotions at play here as kiwi football fans are looking at the end of the Phoenix right in the eyes, something that we never thought would happen. Not after the Phoenix made it their Mission Objective to build a club upon the sturdy foundations of WelNix (sturdier than that Terry/Apprentice guy - remember him?) that plays attractive football and contributes to the A-League package. This comes on the back of a performance against the Brisbane Roar on Saturday night which had me on the edge of my seat, excitement flowing through my veins, courtesy of the Phoenix.
I saw Saturday night as a testament of the growth of the Phoenix. The Yellow Fever were loud, the football played by the lads was exciting and attacking, thanks in large part to the talented players that the Nix have been able to attract. Talented players like Roly Bonevacia, Jeffrey Sarpong and Alex Rodriquez who have come on down to little old Aotearoa because they like what the Nix offered them.
These talented players might not be the 'marquee' names that I keep hearing Australian media punters talk about. Granted, these punters aren't football aficionados but the general vibe I consistently get from the A-League is that they are desperate to get a huge name to help them cut through the clutter that is the Australasian sporting market. Huge marquee names help, but so does an entertaining product (entertaining product > marquee divas) and the current version of the Phoenix certainly hold their own in this regard as they have signed attacking players who make watching the Nix, fun.
The main narrative that we have got from the FFA is that the Phoenix does little to promote football in Australia. There's no big sum of kiwi broadcasting dollars to help fill the FFA's briefcase and apparently the Nix don't do much to help develop Australian players - despite the fact that it was the Phoenix who gave Nathan Burns his second chance and have offered Troy Danaskos and Blake Powell contracts, pulling them out of park footy in Australia.
#SaveTheNix
#SaveTheNix
#SaveTheNix
#SaveTheNix
#SaveTheNix
#SaveTheNix
#SaveTheNix
#SaveTheNix
Oh and if the FFA seriously think that another Sydney team will enhance or help grow the A-League, then they really are as daft as I think they are.
#SaveTheNix
#SaveTheNix
#SaveTheNix
#SaveTheNix
#SaveTheNix
#SaveTheNix
#SaveTheNix
#SaveTheNix
Oh and the Matildas (Australian women's team) are still trying to earn a living because the FFA don't want to pay them. Good times.