It’s impossible to know what to expect from the Nix this season. A new coach, several new players in key positions, barely any preseason games against A-League teams to judge them against… impossible. They even changed their flippin' logo! (The new logo is fantastic, btw).

That confusion seems to be the case over the Tasman too where, like the Breakers, it seems that the Phoenix are widely being tipped for another stinker of a season. Can’t really argue with that too much though, you have to earn those expectations and, from an outside point of view, what have the Nix done to suggest they can win a playoffs game this campaign? Nothing... yet.

By the way, the Breakers have earned that right so they sure can be pissed about that, which also goes to show that chasing respect from the Aussie media is like thinking Rihanna’s gonna take you up on that drink you tweet-offered. You’re following her but she sure as hell ain’t following you.

So what’s happened since the Phoenix last played? Let’s put it this way, these are all the headlines of all the articles we’ve published about them since then (click here to see ‘em all):

JUST SITTING BACK WAITIN’ FOR THE PHOENIX TO DO SOMETHING…
WELLINGTON, WE HAVE A (MYSTERY) MANAGER
KOSTA’S OFF THE ROSTER
IT’S PRONOUNCED KELL-EH-SITCH (OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT)
WHERE ARE WE AT WITH THE WELLINGTON PHOENIX?

Yeah, right. First there was no manager, then there were no signings until they could book a new manager, then they started losing players, then they got a manager, then they signed some players. A few players, even. The thing about not wanting to sign kiwi players because of the hit they take at international breaks is stupid because there are more NZers playing professionally overseas than ever before and in a year or two there’ll easily be enough kiwis of A-League standard that aren’t making All Whites squad - and the A-League isn't gonna be able to hold the best and most ambitious anyway just as it doesn't for Australians. But the signings they did make did fit the mould.

As much fun as it may be from a novelty point of view to watch Emile Heskey and Robbie Fowler and Dwight Yorke and Alessandro Del Piero… especially Alessandro Del Piero… the most successful foreign players in the A-League have mostly been blokes like Besart Berisha and Thomas Broich. Blokes that arrived with no real reputations at this end of the world but blokes who still had their best to give.

And, you know, the incoming mail at the Nix has been a lot like that. Last season the big signings were Gui Finkler and Kosta Barbarouses (with a little Marco Rossi). Two proven A-League players there but not two players who fitted a need while Roy Krishna, Mike McGlinchey, Roly Bonevacia, etc. were still there. More attacking mids? Sweet but… what about a centre forward? That’s what they have now in Andrija Kaludjerovic and Goran Paracki fills the hole in centre midfield too. Neither is well known (although Kaludjerovic did have a spell at Brisbane a couple years back) but both could prove decisive players over the next few months.

They’ve also added Ali Abbas and Dario Vidosic to fill the gaps left by Kosta and Roly while Scott Galloway replaces Jacob Tratt and Daniel Mullen brings depth to the defence – he should be a step up at CB whenever Andy Durante is missing… like in the first game for example. Let’s not overlook the fact that while they haven’t signed any new kiwis, they do have a good selection of them coming into increased prominence. Alex Rufer and Matt Ridenton might have a central midfield starting spot to play for. Hamish Watson should be the backup striker (depending on where Krishna’s playing). Logan Rogerson, James McGarry and Sarpreet Singh are gonna make a few match day squads. Oh and 18 year old keeper Keegan Smith appears to have leapfrogged Ollie Sail in the GK ranks.

Waltzed on In: Dario Vidosic (Seongnam FC), Scott Galloway (Central Coast Mariners), Daniel Mullen (Newcastle Jets), Andrija Kaludjerovic (Port FC), Goran Paracki (NK Istra) & Ali Abbas (Pohang Steelers).

Buggered Off: Vince Lia (Adelaide United), Roly Bonevacia (Western Sydney Wanderers), Alex Rodriguez (Boavista), Kosta Barbarouses (Melbourne Victory), Louis Fenton (Team Wellington), Glen Moss (Newcastle Jets).

Those ch-ch-ch-ch-changes are all good but profound changes all at once don’t tend to lend themselves to quality football. Too many signings at once and you lose the team identity, you lose their grounding. That all falls down on the abilities of Darije Kalezic now because, to be honest, the Nix kinda needed that big shakeup. From what he’s said and done so far it looks like Kalezic is all about that team cohesion. Tactical discipline compared to the more flexible and fluid approach of the Ernie! era. It ain't so much that one approach is right and the other wrong, more that when one doesn’t work it often helps to pivot towards the opposite. Hence why Sam Allardyce, Roy Hodgson and Steve Bruce have had the careers that they have.

“Our identity is to play attractive football from a solid organisation." https://t.co/YVFik689B5
— Hyundai A-League (@ALeague) October 4, 2017

Not to say that the Nix will be boring, more that they won’t neglect the tough stuff either. As probably suits a team without a dominant midfield. You don’t get away with that unless you’re a 60% possession per game sort of team... which the Nix are not. There is a question about the creativity that they lost over the offseason but, come on, they weren’t scoring regularly last year or anything – it took until their sixth game for anyone other than Roy Krishna to score and even then he still set it up.

It looks as though Krishna might be pushed out to the wing again, which is something to keep an eye on. Not his best position but if he’s allowed to drift inwards then his pace, combined with Kaludjerovic’s finishing, could be a fine source of goals. It’ll also be interesting to see if McGlinchey is allowed to play deeper (besides Paracki) as he does for the All Whites. It was always an oddity that he had such distinct roles for club and country. The goalkeeping position is another one (would lean towards Italiano, though).

You could argue we’re looking at a more balanced team now. A new centre forward isn’t the best thing for Roy Krishna but it gives the Nix a focal point at the top to play through. Plus as sublime as Roly could be, he was never quite unleashed in Wellington. Particularly not last season when his role got a bit confused by Gui Finkler and Kosta Barbarouses coming in. That trio never really fitted together – especially not Professor Fink and Roly Poly who were too similar to work. Add in Kosta playing like trash for two thirds of the season (then fantastically for the last third) and no wonder Roy was the main man when it was chaos on attack beneath him.

Having said that, gotta reiterate once more just how much the Phoenix have lost this season, for better or for worse on the park:

Kosta Barbarouses: 25 games | 2204 mins | 5 goals | 5 assists
Roly Bonevacia: 26 games | 1964 mins | 4 goals | 2 assists
Vince Lia: 26 games | 2276 mins | 1 goal | 2 assists
Alex Rodriguez: 23 games | 1665 mins | 1 goal | 1 assist
Jacob Tratt: 20 games | 1759 mins | 1 goal
Glen Moss: 22 games | 1980 mins | 76 saves

That’s six of their ten most used players from 2016-17, by both games played and minutes played. A complete half of their preferred starting XI from last season has gone. They’re replacing half a damned team. If the Welly Nix begin the new term looking messy and struggling for results then remember that point and consider that things will get better as the new lads get used to each other. If the Welly Nix begin the season looking sharp and winning games then remember that point and consider what an achievement that’ll be from the new management duo.

Right now, however, we’ve got no idea what to expect.

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