Phoenix stand-ins Buckingham, Greenacre set to stay distance

Interim coaches Des Buckingham and Chris Greenacre talk during a Wellington Phoenix A-League training session at Newtown. Photo/Getty Images

Barring a catastrophe in tomorrow's A-League clash with Adelaide United, Wellington Phoenix interim coaches Des Buckingham and Chris Greenacre will be permanently confirmed in the roles on Monday.

The pair have been in provisional charge, since Ernie Merrick's resignation early last month, overseeing a three-match unbeaten streak that has doubled as a trial for the long-term coaching positions.

That audition has been all but safely negotiated, paving the way for the duo to be handed the reins for at least the rest of this A-League campaign and probably beyond.

Throughout December, Greenacre and Buckingham politely deflected questions about their ambitions or the recruitment process, which has been going on behind the scenes, insisting their focus has simply been on the next game.

It seems to have worked, with a win and two draws since they took over, arresting a worrying slide that took the Phoenix to the foot of the table and proved to be the last straw for Merrick, who pulled the pin shortly after the 2-0 defeat to Adelaide on December 4.

"We're quite happy with how we've progressed," said Buckingham. "We're now four weeks into doing the role. In week one, we set out an approach of how we wanted to play, and it's just been a review from game to game on what's worked and what hasn't and what needs refining.

"We've added some further bits this week, which you'll hopefully see on the weekend."

It's fitting Greenacre and Buckingham will be confirmed as the new coaches, as the Phoenix return to a freshly re-laid Westpac Stadium on the first day of the New Year.

It also heralds the start of a 21-day period, during which they'll play five games, four of them in Wellington. When the capital's workers return from holiday after Anniversary Weekend, they'll have a pretty good idea whether or not they'll have a playoff football side to support.

A win against strugglers Adelaide tomorrow would set a nice platform from which to launch.

The Reds have looked anything but defending champions, posting a solitary win from 12 matches this season and collecting just six points from an available 36 in the first three months of the campaign.

They have, however, beaten the Phoenix in each of their last three meetings, during which the Phoenix have failed to score a single goal. When the two met in Wellington last season, the Reds won 4-0 to complete their journey from last to first on the A-League ladder, a position they never relinquished, as they went on to claim the title for the first time.

As has been the case during their short tenure, the Phoenix co-coaches will make just a small tweak to their starting XI, with Hamish Watson replacing Adam Parkhouse in attack.

All Whites mid-fielder Michael McGlinchey is also set to feature for the first time in two months, having recovered from a knee injury that has kept him sidelined for the past six games.