Soccer: Ifill unlikely to be back

Paul Ifill's leg injury is more severe than first thought. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Ricki Herbert has given up hope of striker Paul Ifill playing for the Wellington Phoenix again this season.

The 31-year-old tore the membrane between his tibia and fibula bones and sprained his ankle early in the 4-0 defeat of Newcastle on December 18.

Initial estimates suggested he might be back by the end of this month and the player even hoped his rehabilitation would be as short as four weeks.

But Herbert is far from optimistic about Ifill making a return this season - even for the playoffs, if Wellington make them.

They still have six regular season games remaining in about a month, the final one at home to the North Queensland Fury on February 13.

"Paul is going to struggle," Herbert said.

"Personally, I don't see him playing again this season. He's still in a moon boot."

Wellington have found an able replacement in Marco Rojas. The 19-year-old has been in sparkling form since making his starting debut in that routing of Newcastle and been a large reason for the Phoenix's recent resurgence.

The winger is off contract at the end of the season - he was initially signed on a two-year deal following a two-week trial organised by fans - and the club have made it their priority to re-sign him.

Herbert said negotiations with his father were ongoing and he was hopeful of retaining Rojas, who has said he has interest from other clubs.

"It's his decision so it's important we don't put too much pressure on him," Herbert said.

"He knows our intentions and we want him to stay. He has a strong link to the club so I would like to think he will stay. It needs to be remembered he's only had three games in the A-League and you only have to look at the other teams in the league that it takes time to learn what it's all about.

"He's playing regularly here and learning the ropes. He's also learning off players like Paul and Chris Greenacre about what it takes to be a professional and both of those guys have had very good careers outside of Australia."

Herbert is starting to piece together his squad for next season. Nick Ward, Jade North, Troy Hearfield, Diego, Roberto 'Toto' Cornejo, James Musa and Reece Crowther are all off contract and the Phoenix boss isn't likely to make any final decisions on them until the end of the season.

Ward, North, Hearfield and Musa are the most likely to come into considerations.

Ward has been in decent form recently playing a wide attacking role, North is a current Socceroo and defender Musa will still qualify as an under-20 player.

Hearfield has proven a handy squad player having made 63 appearances for the Phoenix over the past three seasons but has limitations as a defender, where he has appeared mostly this campaign.

North Queensland's situation is clouding the issue. A glut of players could come onto the market if the Fury are axed from the competition because of rising debt.

They are being propped up by the FFA and have been told to come up with A$1.5 million by the end of the month or face the chop.

With Danny Vukovic joining Perth next season and Crowther unlikely to be retained, the Phoenix will need another goalkeeper to join Mark Paston. It's not likely to be Glen Moss, rumoured to be a target.

Moss said he is in negotiations with the Gold Coast about a contract extension and hoped to have something sorted in the next fortnight.

"I have always said I would love to get back to Wellington at some stage in my career but I'm keen to stay here at the moment," Moss said.

"I'm pretty happy with my form and can't see any major reason why I would want to leave at the moment."

Herbert will make his now annual off-season trip to the UK to scout players but player recruitment is becoming a lot easier than when the club was first established.

"People see us as an extremely good option now and they want to come to the club. In year one it was hopeless. It was difficult to get anyone. Now we get contacted every single week about players wanting to join the club."