Football: Wellington Phoenix need Auckland success in A-League

Kosta Barbarouses of the Welington Phoenix. Photo / Photosport

The Phoenix continue their A-League roadshow in Auckland on Saturday, and need to satisfy twin ambitions.

Not only do they have to win - to get their stuttering season back on track - but they also need to draw a crowd in the Queen City, to boost their metrics that the FFA are so fond of talking about.

Hamilton failed the test last week - even with the miserable weather, a crowd of barely 5,000 was extremely disappointing, and the Wellington franchise won't be rushing back to the Waikato in a hurry.

The Phoenix are playing at four New Zealand venues outside Wellington this season (Hamilton, New Plymouth and Auckland twice), in a bid to spread the gospel and boost their brand.

But no amount of marketing and goodwill visits can replace results; if the Phoenix start climbing the table, the crowds will return.

They have a good record around New Zealand, having only lost two of 17 games outside Wellington. Auckland has been part of that equation, with three wins and two draws since 2011.

There was the memorable win over the Melbourne Victory in Albany last season - when Kevin Muscat was also apoplectic with rage over the state of the QBE Stadium pitch - and the free wheeling display to beat Adelaide at Eden Park at the start of Ernie Merrick's reign, when there was so much hope on the horizon.

It's hard to know what to expect on Saturday. Last week's 3-0 win over the Mariners was based on raw emotion, as the players had much to prove following Ernie Merrick's exit. This week is back to cold, hard reality, and against a much tougher opponent.

"We need to make sure the standards that we set last week [are] continued," said Vince Lia. "[The Wanderers] are a really good side, but haven't had the rub of the green with results. We need to concentrate on what we are good at, that attacking brand of football."

The foundation player also gave a predictable endorsement of interim coaches Chris Greenacre and Des Buckingham, something that tends to happen across sports.

"Greeny and Des are doing a great job," said Lia. "I think they deserve their crack at doing it. They know the playing group and they're following on from Ernie's attacking football brand, which now is instilled in the club. I'd like to see them stay on."

Greenacre and Buckingham are contenders for the permanent role - with results over the next two games expected to play a part - but promoting the untested duo would be a curious decision, given their association with Merrick's regime, which ultimately failed to deliver results over the last two seasons.

Buckingham was not looking too far ahead on Friday.

"It's about the next game," said Buckingham. "As long as this team is put in the best possible position to kick on for the rest of the season because there is still a long way to go.

"If we can leave the team in that position for us to take on then great - and if it is for someone else then at least the team are in a strong position to finish where we wanted to at the start."

The Wanderers have enjoyed a close rivalry with the Phoenix over their short history - five wins apiece, with two draws - but the Sydney team will start favourites on Saturday, despite their patchy start to this season.

Wellington Phoenix in Auckland

Year Opponents Result Venue Crowd

2015 Melbourne Victory 2-0 Albany 10,852
2014 Central Coast Mariners 1-1 Eden Park 11,051
2014 Adelaide 2-1 Eden Park 18,506
2013 Perth 1-0 Eden Park 11,556
2011 Adelaide 1-1 Eden Park 20,078