Almost two years ago, it was announced that a hub would be formed within Sydney to complete the 2019/20 A-League Men season, following the postponement of the competition due to the outbreak of COVID-19.
The next season, again due to COVID, Wellington found home in Wollongong, basing themselves in the New South Wales city for the 2020/21 campaign to allow the league to continue running.
10 matches were played at WIN Stadium before Phoenix finally returned to their rightful home after 433 days without a game in New Zealand.
Once again, the outbreak meant Wellington was back in Australia for this season, with the hope of returning to Wellington before the end of the campaign.
And now finally, after another season away from friends and family, filled with challenges, complications and complexity, Wellington Phoenix are getting more than what they deserve; what is truly in their rights.
On Sunday afternoon, the Phoenix will be born once again, reunited with Wellington at Sky Stadium for the first time in 322 days.
This is the story of the sacrifices Wellington made to keep the league running, told in two parts – firstly with the aid of Tim Payne and Sam Sutton, followed by another piece apprised by Mackenzie Barry and Chloe Knott.
Payne and Sutton were part of the squad that departed to Sydney for the season, with the team keeping a firm eye on the possibility of playing in their home country before the conclusion of the campaign.
“We’ve been away since about three seasons ago now, and obviously that was unexpected when the league shut off and for a period of time there we didn’t know what was happening and we had a move over to Australia for a period of time to finish the season off,” said Wellington defender Payne.
“Last season was down in Wollongong and this season we’ve come to expect and understand what was needed from us, so I think it’s probably been easier each season to get used to it and we know all the challenges that arise from being over here.”
The squad has faced a myriad of challenges over the three-season, with Sutton leaving home for the first time with the squad.
“It’s been a massive challenge,” Sutton stated.
“It was my first time moving out of home and it’s definitely tough for me to kind of change how I go about life without my family and my usual friends.
“It’s been a big challenge for not just me but for the whole team, and also the fact that we don’t get those home fans on the weekend.”
Payne echoed his teammate’s words on the struggle of not playing in front of a New Zealand crowd, particularly in the latter stages of the season when Wellington has had to play behind closed doors.
“I think first and foremost the biggest thing for us on the football side of things is that we don’t get to play in front of our fans and at Sky Stadium,” he said.
“They’re our twelfth man and it’s a massive benefit for us to play in front of our fans.
“Every week over here we don’t play in front of fans unless we’re playing an away game, which pretty much all of them are.
“And not for me personally, but it’s very tough for families and girlfriends and things like that while not knowing how long we’re going to be over here – some of them have to leave their children to come over here and do long distance, and obviously it’s disappointing to be away from family and friends.
“To get to play professional football in New Zealand’s a bit of a privilege and to get to be close to home is fantastic, and it’s one of those things where you’d love to be close to family and friends and close to home and have those comforts.”
However, the challenge of isolation from their friends and families in New Zealand has had some form of positive effect, with both players elucidating that the time away has allowed the team to come closer together.
“It’s definitely made us closer as a group,” explained Payne.
“At the end of the day, we’re the only ones over here – it’s just us and the coaching staff.
“That brings us together knowing we’ve got to do it for the club and we want to be successful so it definitely brings us a lot closer together.
“You spend every day with each other and now we’re living with each other as well.”
“I think we’ve definitely all come together and it’s brought us closer as a team and as friends on and off the field,” added Sutton.
“We can push through and as you can see we’ve been through quite a lot and just came off a good win on the weekend (against Western United), so there’s a lot of challenges but I think we’re dealing with it quite well.”
Wellington went through an awkward three days in early April, losing 6-0 and 5-0 to Melbourne City and the Central Coast Mariners respectively after a run of two wins in a row, but have come into form in perfect time as they look towards their crucial match on Sunday, with impressive back to back victories against Western United and Perth Glory.
“It was very disappointing coming off those losses, but the way we looked at it is that we’ve been through a lot as a team and that there’s a lot to learn from those,” said Sutton on the recent run of form.
“We could make every excuse from those but we don’t like to do that, we like to analyse what went wrong and I think we did that and that’s why we pushed on to have a massive win (against Western United).
“I think when you go through the lows it makes the highs a lot better.”
“I guess we’ve all been through this in the last few years, and you kind of learn on the go to ride those lows because if we’re doing the right thing and sticking to our processes those highs are going to come, as they did on the weekend,” added Payne.
“It’s fantastic to have such a good group of lads and coaching staff that if someone is going through a tough time there’s a lot of support here within our group to help us.”
Now, Sky Stadium is finally the venue once again, as they look towards the critical clash against the Central Coast Mariners to move closer to a top-six spot, and the hope of what would be a fairytale home final.
Wellington’s first win of the season came against the Mariners, but their most recent defeat came in a 5-0 loss to the Central Coast side.
Payne and Sutton, the latter of which has devastatingly picked up COVID at the worst possible time, have spoken of their delight to return to New Zealand for the match and to see their friends and family, with Sutton hopeful of a return in their second New Zealand match of the season against the Western Sydney Wanderers a week later.
“I think when I was younger and moving overseas, for me it was cool to get away from my brothers and sisters and mum and dad, but as you get a little bit older as I am, and know that my family have got little kids of their own and they’re growing up pretty fast, so it can be pretty tough to miss the moments of little kids getting a little older,” said Payne.
“But then it makes it even more special when we do get to go home and they’re able to come and watch me play and to be able to hang out with them for the period of time that we are home.
“I’m absolutely buzzing to do that and it’s something that’s going to be a massive refresher and gives us a lot of motivation to move forwards to the end of the season.”
Meanwhile, both players are electrified at the prospect of finally playing in front of a New Zealand crowd again, with Sutton stating it as what could be the decisive motivation in their push for finals.
“I’m buzzing to come back – all the boys are,” he said.
“We talk about it very often.
“It’s going to be awesome to get that home game (which will hopefully happen, but not against the Mariners) which for me last season was the highlight and the highlight of my career so far, it was absolutely amazing and surreal.
“I think it will push us and give us that extra bit of motivation to push through to finals football and hopefully make history.”
Payne echoed Sutton’s sentiments while calling on Wellington fans and citizens to attend the match in what promises to be a moving, uplifting reunion.
“For me, that’s one of the more difficult things that over here (in Australia) you’re not playing in front of anyone – that crowd and atmosphere give you a bit of a boost,” he said.
“We’re just hoping that the New Zealand public and the Wellington Phoenix football fans can get along and support the club and push us forward.
“It’s going to be a massive thing for us to see all the supporters and fans and hopefully we can provide a brand of football that’s entertaining for everyone who comes along and watches us.
“We want to give everyone a bit of a rest bite from everything that’s going on in the world and hopefully we can put a bit of a show on and get three points!”
Image Source: Wellington Phoenix