Wellington Phoenix’s head coach, Giancarlo ‘Chiefy’ Italiano, believes it’s about time his team brought home a victory to Sky Stadium as they gear up to battle their longstanding rivals, Auckland FC, in what he hopes will be an electrifying New Zealand Derby this weekend.
The Phoenix will be heading north to Go Media Stadium, keen to avoid a hat-trick of defeats against Steve Corica’s table-topping Auckland side, who have already secured 2-0 and 2-1 wins over Wellington this season.
Even though this will be only the third installment of the derby, the Isuzu UTE A-League’s latest rivalry has already showcased plenty of excitement both on and off the pitch.
The rivalry ignited in Round 1 when Phoenix supporters flew a banner over Go Media Stadium, followed by Auckland’s digital display in Wellington that proclaimed ‘Welcome to ellington – … we took the W back to Auckland’.
In anticipation of the upcoming match, Italiano emphasized the importance of the banter between the two fan bases in nurturing this fresh rivalry.
“I’ve been off social media for a while, so I’m not up to date, but I think that’s quite healthy,” he explained to reporters.
“I enjoy the sentiment of ‘taking that W back to Auckland’, and it’s now our mission to reclaim it.”
He continued, “I enjoy that sort of banter. It’s beneficial and it indicates a vibrant football culture.”
Heading into Saturday’s showdown, the Phoenix find themselves languishing in 10th place on the ladder, six points adrift of the top six, having managed just one victory in their last five outings.
“Our approach remains consistent each week. The training and analysis processes are unchanged,” Italiano remarked.
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“You need that edge, some talking points, and standout moments. The first derby set the stage brilliantly for the second one,” he articulated.
“There were some remarks made beforehand that became popular online and added to the buzz, which is fantastic. It’s good for the sport, and it means more viewers. Young fans are now drawn in and eager to be part of this in the long run. It’s all positive.”
“And honestly, I thrive off a hostile crowd. If they boo for 90 minutes, I’d absolutely love that!”
“No more coffees for us,” Italiano quipped regarding his relationship with the championship-winning coach. “We’re on good terms, no hard feelings.”
A possible surprise inclusion for the derby this weekend could be attacking midfielder Marco Rojas.
After recovering from an ankle injury that had sidelined him for over two months, Rojas has made the extended squad for the trip to Auckland.
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“He’s ahead of schedule by about two weeks, and roughly a month ahead in fitness levels,” Italiano noted about Rojas’ unexpected return.
“He’s been in excellent shape over the last two weeks. There was a slight issue with his ankle, but that hasn’t resurfaced. He has shown us he’s ready to play. We recently put him through his paces, and he covered a lot of distance and high-speed work, giving us the confidence he can contribute.”
Italiano later added, “I won’t reveal the game plan, but I’d certainly like him to be involved at some stage. It really depends on how the game unfolds.”
“If we find ourselves needing a goal or some creativity, I could rely on him longer than initially planned. However, I also need to consider building his match fitness incrementally as we head into the final stretch of games, where we must secure points.”
In another boost for the squad, Italiano confirmed that new signing Francisco ‘Chico’ Geraldes is also set to play against the Black Knights.
“Everything is ready to go. His visa is sorted, and he’s been training, so he will participate in tomorrow’s game. He’s likely in a similar position to Marco in terms of readiness.”
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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