Wellington Phoenix has three ‘Cup finals’ ahead of them if they are to make the Hyundai A-League top six, and their “Cup” run starts this weekend says the club’s shotstopper Glenn Moss.
Wellington Phoenix has three ‘Cup finals’ ahead of them if they are to make the Hyundai A-League top six, and their “Cup” run starts this weekend says the club-s shotstopper Glenn Moss.
Phoenix-s must-win clashes to make the playoffs kick off on Sunday against in-form Adelaide United at Westpac Stadium.
Moss, 31, said the yellow and black troops have responded after last week-s catastrophe in the Hunter.
And Ernie Merrick-s boys are ready to make a last push for glory from eighth spot on the A-League ladder four points out of the six.
“Paul Ifill brought up the Cup final idea in our team talk,” Moss told www.footballaustralia.com.au on Friday.
“He-s been lucky enough to play in an FA Cup Final with Milwall so he knows all about that and he can pass that onto us for these important three games.
“It was pretty disappointing to be honest,” the All Whites keeper added when asked about the 5-0 loss to Newcastle in round 24.
“But the boys have been pretty positive this week. We had a good chat about it when we got back and now we-ve moved on and look forward to the Reds on Sunday.
“We need to win our last three games now. It-s must-win time for us.”
Adelaide flyer Awer Mabil was wary of Phoenix when asked this week.
“You always want to bounce back and redeem yourselves and they will want it more than anyone,” he told www.footballaustralia.com.au
Two big inclusions for Phoenix are the returns of key defender Ben Sigmund and Costa Rican playmaker and talisman Carlos Hernandez.
Though Phoenix will no doubt have their hands full with the Reds in fifth spot on 34 points and in red hot form after a scintillating 3-1 win over Sydney FC last weekend.
As for Moss, he readily agrees this has been one of the most rollercoaster seasons he-s ever experienced.
Phoenix have played well but not won, then went on a winning run mid-season before a late drop in results has them in “Cup final” mode for their last three must-win games.
And the former Gold Coast United glovesman will lean on his experiences with the All Whites to help the Phoenix make the six after a busy season on the international front with games in Asia and at Mexico-s unforgettable Azteca Stadium in front of just on 100,000 fans for an Inter-continental FIFA World Cup qualifier. It left a lasting impression on Moss.
“Because the Azteca is such an old stadium the bus couldn-t get in underground to the dressing rooms. The bus dropped us off at the top and you walk down these cobbled stone alleyways through the stadium.
They have decorated these alleyways with historic memorabilia, such as the ‘Hand of God- which happened in 1986, images of great World Cup games from football history as you walk down this tunnel to an ancient dressing room.”
He added: “It gave me goose-bumps. So many people would love to have played there and to have ticked that off in my career is so special.”
Sunday-s match between Phoenix and Adelaide will see kids permitted on the ground after the game for the first time with the fixture themed as a ‘Kids- Day Out’.
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