Wellington Phoenix have announced that Australian midfielder Joshua Laws has signed a one-year contract with the club.
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“Obviously I’ve known Ufuk for several years now through the [Australian] national team and I’ve always been attracted to the style of football the Phoenix plays, even more so under Ufuk – it’s interesting football to watch and for a player it’s great to play in.
The Scotland-born, Sydney-raised 22-year-old joins the Phoenix after being based in Germany since 2013, where he spent six years in Fortuna Dusseldorf’s youth development system – including 23 appearances in Fortuna’s second team in the Regionalliga.
Laws also has international experience, making four appearances for the Scotland Under 16 side and six combined appearances for the Australian Under 17 and Under 23 sides.
This most recently included a start for Australia – alongside fellow Australian and Phoenix midfielder Reno Piscopo – against Thailand, during the group stage of the UFC U-23 Championship in January this year. It was after this win that coach Graeme Arnold singled out Laws as “one to watch out for” due to both his versatility and good football instincts.
Wellington Phoenix Head Coach, Ufuk Talay, says that he is familiar with Laws from coaching him in the Australian sides and knows what he can bring to the table for the Phoenix.
“I worked with Joshua back in 2015 with the Joeys Squad in Chile, as well as during the Under 23 camps in Spain – he’s another young talented player that we’re very happy to bring into our side for next season.
“Joshua gives us a bit of balance as both a left footer and a versatile player; he’s very technical and can play as a six or as a central defender.
“Beyond his technical skills and abilities as both a stopper and attacker, he’s got good passing range and he’s very smart, cerebral – so I have no doubt he’ll fit in well with our style of play and give us a few new options we didn’t have available last season.”
Laws says that he’s very happy to be joining a Phoenix squad that he’s been watching with interest from afar; and to re-connect with a coach he holds in high esteem.
“I’ve been in conversation with Ufuk and the club for a while now so I’m extremely excited to get going and meet the team – it’s a great club that I’ve been following over the past few years.
“Obviously I’ve known Ufuk for several years now through the [Australian] national team and I’ve always been attracted to the style of football the Phoenix plays, even more so under Ufuk – it’s interesting football to watch and for a player it’s great to play in.
“And that’s what I want, to be playing interesting, dynamic and winning football.
“Ufuk has talked about what he wants from me and how I can help the club – and I’m excited about my role, I consider myself a versatile player so it’s definitely something I’m looking forward to and it’s going to be an interesting step in my career as well.
Laws says that there is always an adjustment to be made when moving to a new competition, in this case the A-League, after seven years in Germany.
“There’s always adjustments to be made with any league, the football is different – to be honest a more practical thing for me will be adjusting to the heat, going from Germany to playing in the A-League’s summer temperatures will be something I’ll need to prepare for.”
Laws is currently in Sydney and will join up with the Phoenix squad on 1st November.
