Australia NewsHerbert: Let Me Entertain You |
EXCLUSIVE: Ricki Herbert is confident his Wellington Phoenix team can be the A-League's entertainers this season and play their way to a top four finish.
Last year's cellar dwellers relied heavily on the goals of Shane Smeltz last season but shipped far too many goals at the other end of the pitch. Herbert feels the recruitment of Andrew Durante can help plug holes at the back and expects Smeltz to receive greater support from the club's new attacking recruits.
He told au.fourfourtwo.com: "I think the players we've managed to bring to the club is a very positive reflection on what we as a football club managed to achieve in a very short space of time.
"The signings we've made are successful people in their own right and they clearly see this football club as having the potential to be successful.
"We are making good strides and who knows what year two could look like for us?"
Results are key to success but Herbert also wants the Wellington faithful to enjoy the football on offer.
He said: "Consistently through the year we were proabably one of the better sides to watch in that front third and long may that continue. I think our recruitment this time will only help with continuing in that way and building on it.
"Shane Smeltz had a pretty productive year for us last time and hopefully he can have another good year.
"But with the signing of people like Adam Kwasnik, Leo Bertos and Troy Hearfield we've a number of attacking options in that group, as opposed to what we had last year.
"We've certainly moved forward in that area and we haven't spent all the money yet. So, yes, we're looking forward to year two, I think it could be good for us.
"We'll get to the starting line in a pretty positive state. You ask all the A-League coaches and I'm sure they'll say the top four is the aim. I don't see why our club should be any different?"
Herbert is also adamant that there will be no hangover from picking up the wooden spoon last year.
He said: "I don't think we were the eighth best side (last season) but more importantly we showed what a professional football club in New Zealand can look like. That's from the support in the stands, owners, sponsors and the like we ticked all the boxes that historically we may not have."
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