The Wellington Phoenix are throwing open the gates for the men’s next pre-season match.
The Phoenix men are playing host to Wellington Olympic at their training base, the New Zealand Campus of Innovation and Sport (NZCIS), on Saturday, September 5.
Kick-off is at 1pm, with entry free.
Phoenix head coach Chris Greenacre says the day is a chance for them to give back to the community and inspire the next generation.
“This is a unique situation for young footballers to get up close and personal with their heroes,” Greenacre said.
“Alex Rufer and Paul Gothard have just come back from the World Cup and it’s a great chance for our young fans to ask them questions about their experiences.
“If it inspires one kid to want to be a professional footballer than the whole day has been a success.”
The pre-season friendly against Olympic, a week after a competitive Central League season, will be a great chance to assess the Phoenix men just over six weeks out from their opening match of the club’s 20th anniversary season against Melbourne Victory at Hnry Stadium.
“Wellington Olympic give us a really good test in pre-season and that’s really, really important.
“They have been the most successful team in the Central League in recent times and we want to be playing against the best teams.
“There’s also a close connection between the two clubs as a lot of former Phoenix players are now in the Olympic squad and a lot of our wider community are Olympic fans.
“We love their support and what they bring to our home games.”
The match will be a chance for supporters to see Mexican striker Rafael Durán in action for the first time, and he and all the men will be available for a ‘meet and greet’ after the match.
The Phoenix women, including new recruits Indiah-Paige Riley, Tameka Yallop, Abby Erceg and Kam Pickett, will also be in attendance and will be available for a meet and greet at halftime.
The ever-popular Nix garage sale will be returning and food trucks will be on site at NZCIS so it promises to be a great afternoon out for the entire family.
Men’s pre-season friendly vs Wellington Olympic
1pm, Saturday September 5
NZCIS, Trentham
