Youth Academy success
Ahh, the youth. Possibly one of the most underdeveloped sectors in the A-League, and most especially in New Zealand. And yet, against the odds, the Phoenix seem to be bucking the trend. Having developed the Wellington Phoenix Football Academy in 2012, the club is finally reaping the rewards.
In the five years to date, All Whites Bill Tuiloma, Cameron Howeison and Joel Stevens have all passed through the system while four professional contracts have been signed with professional clubs in Europe. For a small club like the Phoenix, this is no mean feat. And in 2015, two youngsters have made the much revered step up to the first team to join first academy graduate Alex Rufer. This success shows that they must be doing something right in Wellington. James McGarry and Logan Rogerson, both 17, were signed on three year contracts last month as a result of their outstanding work in the youth academy.
According to Merrick, McGarry is a talented young individual with exceptional technical ability, while Rogerson has already made his first All Whites squad. He added that, although the pair had been nervous when first training with their new team-mates, they had now relaxed and were warming to their new roles in the Wellington Phoenix brand. And with Winston Reid now on board too, presenting two promising players with scholarships to the academy each year, the sky really does seem the limit for the rising Phoenix.
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