Lachlan Avil 
Wellington Phoenix 2024/25 A-League season preview. Photo: Texi Smith. Design: Round Ball Australia
Wellington’s 23/24 A-League Men campaign was one of both record-breaking sucess and absolute heartbreak, as the season where the Phoenix secured their highest ever regular season finish ended just one step away from the big dance.
When the initial disappointment eventually subsided, the Yellow Fever and the rest of the ‘Nix supporters could reflect on what was truly a remarkable year for their club, whilst sitting on the precipice of a new era of New Zealand football.
But it was a moment in the very match where they suffered their most crushing defeat of the year, that will provide for the most optimism heading into a fresh go around.
When Oskar Zawada tapped the ball past Paul Izzo to equalise the tie deep into stoppage time, Sky Stadium erupted into pure unadulterated ecstasy – the kind that only football can create.
The affectionately nicknamed Cake Tin, full for the first in Wellington’s history, was the scene of the Phoenix’s rebirth.
Tens of thousands of people were jumping in their air, hugging the strangers next to them, screaming at the top of their lungs, having just witnessed one of those footballing miracles that will undoubtedly form the bedrock of a love of football for many of whom for which it was their ever A-League experience.
So often looked over as the team from across the ditch that is used to fill up the numbers announced themselves last season, and this campaign they will look to evolve even further.
The manager: Giancarlo Italiano
The man who never played a match of professional football and started his coaching career all the way down in Sunday League, is set to evolve his playing style in season 2024/25.
Throughout his first campaign as head coach, Italiano proved that he is a versatile but practical manager.
He was open about the challenges of away travel in the A-League and would often set up his team away from Wellington with a defence-first mindset, imploring his side to consider matches in home and away pairs where if they end the victors over a theoretical two-legged tie, then they had done their job.
When that tie returned to New Zealand – or even if the game state presented itself away – then Italiano was not afraid to switch between a handful of systems, which were all well rehearsed, to keep his opposing manager guessing and often finding the right puzzle piece that would unlock goals and wins for the team in yellow.
“The coach that I like to think that I am, is I’m very adaptable to conditions that are presented,” Italiano said after a clash against Melbourne City last season.
“I have my idea of they way I’d like to play, but sometimes I think it’s unrealistic with the group of players that I have at the moment because it takes time to evolve and give the confidence to the players.
“I feel as though sitting back, on the counter attack and defending a little bit lower suits this team.
“In an ideal world, I would like to play like a De Zerbi, Brighton for example, but it takes a long time to get to that sort of playing model and maturity within the group.”
We may not quite start seeing seagulls during this campaign (apart from their away trips to Melbourne), but Italiano will have spent his off-season diligently pushing his side in that direction.
The squad
Like any A-League team in recent years that experience success, international attention falls heavily on the playing squad, swooping in on an undervalued Asian/Oceanic market to pluck out the best talents.
The biggest blows to the Phoenix will be the departures of Ben Old, Finn Surman and Alex Paulsen, all young stars under 23 years of age who made massive impacts in this Wellington team last season.
The latter will sting the most, particularly for supporters. Whist there was a general sense of pride in seeing Paulsen advance to the next phase of his career with AFC Bournemouth, the previously-illegal loan back to sister club Auckland FC will no doubt leave a slight bitter taste in the mouth.
Losing international players Oskar Zawada and Bozhidar Kraev (Kraev has signed for Western Sydney) however, allowed Chiefy to construct a playing squad more applicable to his vision.
Whether due to external interest, or simply removing some players that didn’t fit into Italiano’s vision, like Nicholas Pennington (Perth Glory) and Youstin Salas (Saprissa, Costa Rica), Chiefy got to fill those holes himself.
The Phoenix have secured valuable league-familiar experience in the form of Paulo Retre and the returning Marco Rojas, whilst also signing up a number of young talents on scholarship contracts.
The freedom of options for international players however is where Chiefy has really leaned into the idea of specific profiles, the exact puzzle pieces that he will need to compliment the rest of his squad.
23-year-old Joshua Oluwayemi is the fulfillment of a promise to look international for a goalkeeper if the specific mould was not available domestically, undoubtedly someone who is well adept with the ball at his feet.
Then there is the Japanese pair of Kazuki Nagasawa and Hideki Ishige, both products of Italiano’s off-season adventure to Japan to learn from the likes of Peter Cklamovski, the Aussie manager in charge of FC Tokyo.
“The trip (to Japan) was primarily centred around football education and learning, and improving my own environment,” Italiano told the A-Leagues.
“As a consequence of that, I was able to network with a lot of agents and clubs.
“That’s how I was able to get Kazuki and Hideki. It was more about opening up those relationships and those people connected with the blubs knew of me.
“I went initially for the football and the recruitment came on the flipside.”
These players are the perfect example of how not to confuse the term profile with position. Chiefy wanted a certain profile, and in the case of especially Ishige, that profile is that he can play (almost) any position.
Versatility was a cornerstone of the 23/24 ‘Nix, and that theme will be doubled down on in 24/25.
The off field: A new enemy
Auckland FC, the newest A-League team.
There will be three editions of the Kiwi Clasico this season. Three chances to set the tone for what beckons as another enthralling A-League rivalry that started before the Black Knights had even signed their first player.
It remains to be seen how much the players and teams buy into the derby, given that these kinds of contests usually earn their bite on the pitch rather than the timeline.
Part of a multi-club ownership group headed by Premier League outfit AFC Bournemouth, there is backing, a clear strategy to engage with the New Zealand community and intent to win from the outset.
In retrospect, Wellington did themselves a world of good with their success last season. A season of mediocrity would have allowed Auckland to position themselves as the new hope for Kiwi chances in the A-League.
Instead, they are coming into a footballing culture that fell in love with the Phoenix last season. But that was just the foreword of what is sure to be an enthralling arms race.
A race for the favour of Kiwi supporters, young New Zealand talent, but most importantly: A-League silverware.
Expectations
In one of Italiano’s first interviews as Wellington’s head coach, he said that by year two of his project he wanted to be challenging for the A-League title.
Well, given that they already achieved that goal in year one, the internal expectations will definitely be to stay competing at the pointy end of the league table.
For what they have lost in talent, they have gained in the ability for Chiefy to mold his squad closer towards his ideal playing style.
And whilst Paulsen, Old and Surman made great contributions, it was all built from the work of their number one asset, Giancarlo Italiano.
Just how much have Wellington evolved their playing style in the off-season? Has Chiefy pushed them too far to the point where the new style is not fully understood by the players? Or will we be saying ‘he’s nailed it’ as the Phoenix sail towards the top of the table again?
All questions that can only be answered after play kicks off next week.
In an era of the A-League where youth is a necessity; raw, impressionable players will allow for quality of coaching to shine through. In that respect, Wellington is well placed.
Top four should be the pass mark for the Phoenix. Nail down a solid finals position, and gear yourselves up for another chance at history come May.