The former Australian keeper Mark Bosnich has lashed out at the Wellington Phoenix, saying they are bringing precious little to the A-League.
Phoenix player Gui Finkler. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Now a pundit for Australian broadcaster Fox Sports, Bosnich watched the Nix twice throw away the lead in their 2-2 draw with Newcastle last night.
The 44-year-old ex-Aston Villa and Manchester United stopper was unsparing in his post-game criticism, saying the side consistently promised much but delivered little.
Now in their 10th year, the Phoenix are yet to win a trophy and have qualified for the A-League playoffs just four times.
After a poor ninth-placed finish last season, the club splashed out on high- profile players Gui Finkler, Kosta Barbarouses and Marco Rossi, but are yet to reap rewards.
They sat in last place before the sacking of ex-boss Ernie Merrick and are in eighth spot despite picking up five points in their last three games.
"At the moment, for me, they're offering the A-League nothing," Bosnich said.
"I want to see a bit of consistency and them actually threatening to get into the top four, instead of struggling around the fringes."
Former Socceroo Mark Bosnich. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The Nix, despite financial stability under the local Welnix consortium, received a scare last year when a 10-year extension of their A-League licence was denied.
The licence was later extended in February, with the club obliged to improve its broadcast rights, viewership and crowds in New Zealand.
Those metrics will be reviewed by Football Federation Australia in 2020.
Bosnich said the public outcry of support for the Phoenix on both sides of the Tasman during that saga may have been for naught.
The side would have to play more like two years ago, when they finished the league in fourth, to have any hope of remaining in the competition.
"The mind beggars with them, I really don't know what to say," Bosnich said.
"We had that thing, keep Wellington in the A-League and everyone got behind them, and all of a sudden it's all dropped off."
Co-pundit and former Sydney FC skipper Mark Rudan was equally scathing post- game, criticising Barbarouses for his comments on the side's uptick in form.
The 27-year-old Kiwi winger said the departure of Merrick and a change of formation had galvanised the side.
"If I was Ernie Merrick listening to that, I'd be extremely disappointed, knowing it took him getting the sack to get a reaction," Rudan said.
Of the current 10 team competition only four teams, the Phoenix, Melbourne City, Western Sydney and Perth haven't won the championship.
-AAP
