Interspersed between ASB Premiership and O-League fixtures, the ASB Challenge Series matches will offer a prize of $2000 to the winner of each game and be played at the ground of the ASB Premiership club with early evening midweek kick-offs. Prize money will be split if games are drawn.
The Phoenix A side will be coached by Wellington Phoenix assistant coach Jonathan Gould and comprise members of the current Hyundai A-League squad plus members of the Football Development Foundation (FDF), an initiative supported by Cuesports.
The confirmation of the ASB Challenge Series ends a frustrating wait for the Wellington Phoenix, which has been able to build a successful club in spite of being the only A-League franchise without a youth or reserve team.
The Wellington club is ineligible to field a team in Football Federation Australia’s Youth League and FIFA statutes preclude entering a reserve team in the amateur ASB Premiership because of their professional status.
Up to 13 young Kiwi players from around New Zealand aged 16 to 19 will be drawn into the Football Development Foundation squad, living and breathing professional football during their stay in Wellington.
The first game in the series is at Hamilton’s Fred Jones Park against Waikato FC on Monday 15 November and the final match against Canterbury United on Wednesday 2 February.
At the conclusion of the series, academy players will rejoin their home ASB premiership club, although may be recalled earlier if required.
New Zealand Football (NZF) chief executive Michael Glading says the launch of the ASB Challenge Series and the involvement of Phoenix A was a significant move of support for the Wellington Phoenix by NZF and a positive development for football in New Zealand.
“The chance for these young players to taste a professional environment on top of the education they will get through our national talent centres and playing in the ASB Youth League or ASB Premiership will be priceless for their development,” Glading says.
“It will also pay dividends for the teams they go on to play for, whether that is an ASB Premiership club, a New Zealand age-group side, or the Phoenix professional team. We are grateful to the eight ASB Premiership clubs for their help in making this project a reality.”
Gould, who plans to cast his eye over foundation candidates at this weekend’s national U-19 tournament in Napier, says the creation of Phoenix A was a win-win prospect for the club and for football in New Zealand.
“What we’re trying to establish is a way of allowing players who have been on the periphery of the first team or are coming back from injury to transition themselves back into the first team,” Gould says.
“We also believe it’s an excellent opportunity to develop players that have been identified for national age-group sides and create a step between those teams and professional football.”
Story and photo courtesy of New Zealand Football.
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