Soccer: Fans go wild and find a winner

A Yellow Fever supporters club scholarship led to 19-year-old Marco Rojas signing with the Wellington Phoenix. Photo / Getty Images

Who needs reality shows when you've got the real thing?

New Zealand soccer's starmaker has turned out to be Yellow Fever, the Wellington Phoenix supporters' club.

A Yellow Fever scholarship scheme has hit paydirt with the young attacking midfielder Marco Rojas from Hamilton becoming an overnight sensation since winning a starting role with the A-league club over the past month.

Rojas could have been lost to the New Zealand game but for the Fever's intervention.

Fans helped vote Rojas the Fever's scholarship winner in 2009 and after a week's training with the Phoenix he was signed by the club on a contract that expires at the end of this A-league season.

The 19-year-old was to the fore again in the latest round, testing the Central Coast Mariners with pace and skill at Gosford where he should have won a first half penalty in another away defeat for the Phoenix.

The Phoenix are now in talks with Rojas to extend his deal although his show-stopping form means they are unlikely to be the only ones in the hunt.

The little magician has scored a couple of goals and made a few others, pops up on both flanks, leaves defenders gasping as he races on to through balls, and delivers excellent crosses and corners.

Chile are even rumoured to be interested in Rojas, whose soccer-playing father Rodi came to New Zealand at the age of seven.

The burst of media attention has taken a toll on Rojas, whose mentors at the Phoenix are the English veterans Paul Ifill and Chris Greenacre.

Rojas was at his elusive best when the Herald called, having decided - in consultation with coach Ricki Herbert - to take a wee media break as the Phoenix set about winning a place in the A-league finals.

The Yellow Fever aren't shy, and spokesman David Cross - a Telecom IT worker in Wellington - gladly took the Herald's call.

The Fever appear crazy but if Cross is anything to go by, they are a rather sensible bunch.

Is Marco's success beyond your wildest dreams?

We never expected the Phoenix to sign anyone when we came up with the scholarship concept. It was more about giving kids experience rather than finding New Zealand's next star. Guy Smith (another Fever-ite) came up with the idea. We make a bit of money out of our t-shirt sales and advertising. We were looking for ways to invest the money in football. We didn't think we'd find the breakthrough youngster though - this has raised the scholarship's profile and made us very proud.

The Fever aren't short on enthusiasm - what are the levels like when Rojas touches the ball?

The Fever zone went absolutely mental when he scored against Melbourne. The goal that really made it was in Christchurch early in December when he took a corner for Ben Sigmund's last minute winner against Adelaide.

What a story ...

Yes, it makes good press and the fans who have got in behind the club, bought the t-shirts, have invested in the scheme and they've all bought a bit of Marco and helped find something special for the club. And it's a way we can pay back Ricki Herbert for putting his face all over our t-shirts.

As the story goes the establishment ignored him, and you guys found him ...

It's not quite that simple but some academies missed him due to personal favouritism and the idiots involved. He played for Hamilton Wanderers at the under-19 tournament and for Waikato in the NZFC so the Phoenix were aware of him. The scholarship gave the club a chance to look at Marco more closely.

The rumour is each scholarship is worth $5000 ...

Someone came up with that figure - we pay for the flights and arrange accommodation so the winners can train with the club for a week.

How many votes do you get on the website?

We ask the Fever fan base for nominations and reasons ... we select about 10 and then run an online poll to find the top three or four. A Fever representative and the Phoenix people make the pick from there. From memory, there are about 1000 votes.

He won't forget you in a hurry ...

We catch up with him now and then. He's a quiet and shy lad - humble and unassuming. I'm not sure how much he would be enjoying the media focus.

But not unassuming on the field ...

He's a flair player, a smallish lad willing to take anyone on. The ball sticks to his feet like glue. He lights up the crowd. The biggest challenge could be Marco's size - not many players that small reach the top. England might be tricky but he could succeed somewhere like Holland where the game is less intimidating.

Are there more gems in the pipeline?

We want to see New Zealanders making their name at the Phoenix. We like the Australians and others from overseas, and don't want a free ride for New Zealanders. They have to be good enough. But it would be nice if seven or eight of the starters could be Kiwis. You want them to be mainly under-21s who then move on to bigger and better things outside the A-league for New Zealand football's benefit.

Chile or New Zealand? Who will Marco pick?

He hasn't declared and Chile have sniffed around. I think Ricki Herbert might select him on the fringe of the All Whites squad to Japan and China. I'd say it is 80-20 he'll go for New Zealand.

Marco Rojas
Age: 19
Born: Hamilton
Height: 1.66m
Weight: 68kg
A-league games: 14
Starts: 4
Goals: 2
Assists: 3
Shots: 12
On target: 9