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RNZ News
27-05-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
A-League: season reviews and what's next for Auckland FC and Wellington Phoenix?
Nando Pijnaker of Auckland FC collides with Corban Piper of Wellington Phoenix. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/ With their defeat to Melbourne Victory in the A-League Finals Series semi-final on Saturday night, Auckland FC brought an end to a contrasting A-League Men's season for New Zealand's clubs. The Black Knights became the country's first ever Premiers in their debut campaign, but the Wellington Phoenix finished the campaign 11th and bottom of the form table - a big drop-off from last year's highs. So how does the RNZ scorecard read for Aotearoa's two professional football sides? And perhaps more importantly, what's next as they plan for 2025-26? Auckland Fc v Wellington Phoenix, Go Media Mt Smart Stadium. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/ A-League Men's final position: 1st (Premier's Plate winners) Finals Series: Semi-finals (lost 2-1 to Melbourne Victory over two legs) Player of the Season: Louis Verstraete Auckland FC's Louis Verstraete gets a foot to the ball during the A-League match between Auckland FC and Western United FC at Go Media Stadium, Auckland. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/ It's probably a testament to how well the Belgian started and finished the season that a mid-season dip still hasn't lost him this accolade in our eyes. Young Player of the Season: Alex Paulsen Alex Paulsen of Auckland FC celebrates a goal. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/ What else can you say about this young man. It's time for him to move on from the A-League but he's been the outstanding stopper on trans-Tasman shores for the past two seasons and, at just 22, has plenty left to learn. Signing of the Season: Hiroki Sakai Hiroki Sakai of Auckland FC celebrates with the A-League Premier Plate Photo: Andrew Cornaga/ Technically, they were all new signings, so a tough one to actually answer but Sakai's signature was so important. He has led by example with stellar displays this season and his arrival added major credibility to the upstart club. Revelation of the Season: Francis de Vries Auckland FC's Francis de Vries up against Brisbane Roar FC's Ben Halloran. Photo: Shane Wenzlick / The Cantabrian went from a serious knee injury and amateur football in New Zealand's National League to being the division's outstanding left-back. Moment of the Season: Auckland FC 6-1 Wellington Phoenix So many to choose from but a humbling win over their new rivals was a flag in the sand moment. Auckland are here and they are here to stay. Overall grade: A A magnificent campaign which deserves immense accolades and superlatives. But falling just short of a Grand Final costs them top marks of an A+. Auckland FC Manager Steve Corica Photo: PHOTOSPORT Steve Corica's focus has already shifted to next season. Several departures are confirmed. Star loanee 'keeper Alex Paulsen returns to Bournemouth, with a mooted new temporary home at Scottish side Hibernian potentially in the works. Fellow loanee Max Mata is also set to leave. Neyder Moreno won't return, having confirmed he's not signing a new deal. RNZ understands Scott Galloway is also out; he hasn't featured since January and is likely heading to another A-League club. Luis Toomey, though off-contract, is expected to stay. Dan Hall and Louis Verstraete are both under contract but could easily attract overseas interest. This will be a concern, given their age and ambitions to eventually play at a higher level. Auckland will want to keep them but strong offers will be hard to turn down.. Moreno's exit frees up a visa spot, and while many Kiwi names will be linked, RNZ understands Kosta Barbarouses was never considered. Western Sydney is his apparent destination. Internally, the Black Knights are open to giving Michael Woud the chance to replace Paulsen, rather than signing a new first-choice keeper. Fans arrive before the A-League - Wellington Phoenix v Auckland FC at Sky Stadium, Wellington. Photo: Masanori Udagawa/Photosport A-League Men's final position: 11th (Premier's Plate winners) Player of the Season: Kosta Barbarouses Kosta Barbarouses of the Phoenix Photo: PHOTOSPORT Once again, it's probably the diminutive frontman who has stood head and shoulders above the rest. Which is why his decision to leave the club is potentially such a big blow. Ten goals in the league and a crucial Australia Cup play-off winner demonstrated his importance to the team. Young Player of the Season: Luke Brooke-Smith At just 16 years of age the teenage attacker has shown a level of performance often surpassing his more experienced teammate and becoming the club's youngest ever goal scorer in February. He's signed on until 2027, so hopefully there's plenty more to come. Signing of the Season: Corban Piper For all the new imports and the return of Marco Rojas, it was an under-the-radar recruit from Birkenhead United that has performed the best since a September arrival. A powerful and versatile option with a goal in him, the 22-year-old looks like the next Tim Payne in waiting. Revelation of the Season: Alby Kelly-Heald Goalkeeper Alby Kelly-Heald. Photo: AAP / The previous two entries aside, the young goalkeeper also looks like he has the attributes to one day be the club's number one. He's not the finished article but certainly a prospect worth keeping with once he's fully recovered from a shoulder injury which cut his season short in March. Moment of the Season: Kosta Barbarouses' halfway humdinger Not much to choose from here but Kosta's strike from inside the centre-circle against the Jets in December was a special moment from a special player who will be sorely missed next term. Overall grade: D The Phoenix were always going to struggle to match last season's campaign, especially when so many of their star players were picked off in a second off-season ransack in succession. Injury issues and unsuccessful recruitment did not help so this was always going to be a tough campaign. But they've blooded some youngsters and will have a clear indication of what they need to recover next season. Giancarlo Italiano. Photo: photosport Barbarouses is gone and Scott Wootton and Sam Sutton will join him - the defensive pair off to Perth Glory. Mid-season recruit Chico Geraldes' loan deal has expired and a knee injury appears to have dampened a desire to re-sign the mercurial Portuguese playmaker. Stefan Colakovski, also struck by injury, and third-choice goalkeeper Dublin Boon are also off contract. Unlike the past two seasons a mass raid on the team is unlikely, and that stability is something the Phoenix desperately need. They will have two visa slots available and question marks will rightly linger over whether goalkeeper Josh Oluwayemi is the best use of another one. Getting that recruitment right is crucial if the 'Nix are to climb back up the table in 2025-26.
RNZ News
27-05-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
Kosta Barbarouses to leave Wellington Phoenix
The Wellington Phoenix's inability to retain successful players is in the spotlight again. All Whites striker Kosta Barbarouses is the latest player to turn his back on the A-League club saying he wants to get game time elsewhere ahead of next year's Football World cup. Sports reporter Felicity Reid spoke to Lisa Owen. To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
RNZ News
26-05-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
Wellington Phoenix star Kosta Barbarouses leaves the club
Photo: Photosport The Wellington Phoenix have lost another key player, with striker Kosta Barbarouses announcing he will leave the A-League club. The veteran All Whites forward has turned down his option of a contract extension and has informed the club he intends to play elsewhere next season. Earlier this month defenders Sam Sutton and Scott Wooton, who had each played over 100 games for the club, announced they were leaving. The club finished 11th this season with just six wins 26 games. Barbarouses, 35, has had three stints with the Phoenix. In the last two years under head coach Giancarlo Italiano he scored 23 goals in 54 A-League matches. Earlier this month he became the club's first three-time winner of the men's player of the year award. The four-time A-League champion signed off by scoring the match-winner in Wellington's Australia Cup playoff against Brisbane Roar in Darwin last week. "The three years I've spent with the Phoenix in my home town have been very special to me," Barbarouses said. "I'm grateful to the fans, the squad and many of the staff members for everything. "The decision to leave has been a very difficult one to make and I wish the Phoenix all the best in the future." Phoenix director of football Shaun Gill is convinced the club did all it could to keep hold of Barbarouses. "Kosta has had two of the best seasons of his career at the Phoenix and we believed he was in the best place to secure selection in the All Whites' World Cup squad," Gill said. "In recognition of his performances over the past two seasons we tabled what we believed was a very competitive contract offer. "We're disappointed he's turned down our contract extension, but we respect his decision and thank him for all of his contributions to the club." The Wellington Phoenix currently have 18 men's players contracted for the 2025-26 A-League season.
West Australian
26-05-2025
- Sport
- West Australian
A-League Men: Perth Glory sign Wellington Phoenix full-back Sam Sutton on a three-year deal
Perth Glory have made their second visa signing of the off-season, with Wellington Phoenix left-back Sam Sutton signing on for the next three years. The five-time New Zealand international has been heavily linked with Glory for some time, as has his Phoenix teammate Scott Wootton. 23 year-old Sutton has spent the past decade at the 'Nix, graduating from their academy to make more than 100 appearances in the yellow and black. He was an ever-present for Wellington last season as he made 23 starts at left-back and his arrival fills an area of need for Perth. Glory let go of both Belgian left-back Anas Hamzaoui and local product Riley Warland, while Japanese import Yuto Misao's contract is expiring, leaving only young Zach Lisolajski as cover on the left side of defence. Sutton said he was thrilled to be moving west, and went as far to expouse the virtues of the WA lifestyle. 'I decided to sign for Perth for many reasons. Firstly, I've been there many times and it's definitely my favourite city in Australia,' he said. 'But more importantly, the passion, belief and ambition I got from (coach) David Zdrilic and (football director) Stan Lazaridis was the key determining factor. 'Their hunger to win trophies matches mine and I'm eager to start the season already. 'I believe in the calibre of players we are keeping and the ones we intend to bring in and hope we can win some silverware.' Lazaridis was confident that Sutton will prove to be an excellent pick-up for the club. 'Sam is someone we've been monitoring for a while and he has all the attributes required to really fit our playing style. 'He's a tenacious defender with a great engine who also likes to get forward and is capable of providing quality delivery into the box. 'At 23, we believe we have signed him at a great time and that he will continue his development into one of the best left-backs in the A-League.'
RNZ News
22-05-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
A-League: Keeper v keeper as former teammates face off
Goalkeepers Jack Duncan and Alex Paulsen Photo: Photosport For back-to-back A-League seasons Alex Paulsen has been the best goalkeeper in the competition and someone who has had a close-up look at his rise will be at the opposite end of the park on Saturday when Auckland FC meet Melbourne Victory in the second semi-final in Auckland. Last season Paulsen was the number one keeper at the Wellington Phoenix, keeping the experienced Jack Duncan on the bench. Paulsen had a breakout season playing every minute of Wellington's 2023-24 A-League campaign after being limited to just five first team appearances in his first two years as a professional. He kept a club record 12 clean sheets and picked up just about every award on offer, giving Duncan no real chance of taking the gloves off the young gun. Paulsen and Duncan both left the Phoenix after the conclusion of the 2023-24 season and went in very different directions. In June 2024 Paulsen signed a deal with English Premier League club Bournemouth. Only to find himself loaned back to A-League newcomers Auckland FC for this season as both clubs have the same owner. Duncan exited Wellington for Melbourne Victory - his fourth different A-League club since 2011. Again this season Paulsen has played every minute of his side's A-League games, whereas Duncan has been in and out of the Victory side. Duncan played the first 13 matches of the season before getting benched and injured as he shared keeping duties with Mitch Langerak. A foot injury to former Socceroo Langerak has given the gloves back to Duncan for Victory's last four games - including the Elimination Final and first semi-final. In the first semi-final Paulsen and Duncan went head-to-head in Melbourne and the Auckland gloveman came out on top. Melbourne Victory's Jack Duncan clears. Photo: Shane Wenzlick / Auckland got one goal past Duncan in the first semi-final, and were unlucky not to get a second, but Paulsen has kept Victory's attacking threats out for more than 270 minutes of football across three meetings so far this season. Auckland defender Tommy Smith has a lot of praise for his fellow All White. "He's probably the best goalkeeper in the league, he's done it two years on the trot now and he's such a calming influence on us knowing that he's that last line of defence if we do get beaten. He's come up with some massive saves this season and we know the value to us that he brings and we're very happy with him," Smith said. Smith also has empathy for the player stuck behind Paulsen this season - Michael Woud. "He's acquitted himself so well, because he probably signed for the club thinking he'd be the number one and in training every single week he's pushing [Paulsen] which is getting both himself and [Paulsen] better and better week in week out." Despite all of his accolades, Paulsen said last season was sometimes a struggle for him. He believes his mental strength is better for it this season and he is also enjoying the challenge and support of the other Auckland FC goalkeepers. "[The back-up goalkeepers] have been big characters within our team as well even in games Mike is always giving me tips and tricks... if I can't figure something out he's always got something to help me out I appreciate that so much from him as well because at the same time it's a team effort just not the whole team but the goalkeeping union as well." Auckland FC's Alex Paulsen. Photo: Shane Wenzlick / Duncan is familiar with being the back-up. It is a position the 32-year-old had to fill earlier in his career, including being behind former All White Glen Moss at Newcastle Jets, and again had to accept when Langerak re-joined Victory in January after 14 years playing overseas. A strong A-League pre-season this season set Duncan up to be the go-to guy between the posts when Victory needed him. "Having missed all of last season, pretty much being behind Alex Paulsen at Wellington, it was good for me to get that leading into the season that run of form in the Australia cup, and I just tried to keep that going. "When Mitch came in, I thought at the start of the season, I just had to give myself the best opportunity to make the coach's decision as hard as possible. "And unfortunately, from a team perspective, we weren't quite picking up results at that time, so I understood that a change had to be made. I was disappointed, as all footballers would be in that situation, but I just tried to keep my head down, working hard be a good teammate, be good around the dressing room, and play my role in that aspect, because you never know when the opportunity is going to come again, and like it has, Mitch has got an injury, and it's time for me to be playing again, and hopefully I can contribute moving forward [on Saturday in Auckland] and hopefully in the grand final as well." Both Paulsen and Duncan could be in the spotlight if the second semi-final goes to penalties. "As a keeper, some people think that all the pressures on you, but I look at it the opposite way, all the pressures on them to score. So if it comes to it, I'll be doing a lot of preparation. I did a lot for last week's game, which I've had a lot of confidence if it did go to penalties, and I'll be doing the same again this week to put myself in the best position to step up for the team, for pride," Duncan said. 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