When Adam Parkhouse joined his new Wellington Phoenix team-mates in Townsville on Saturday afternoon, he was still catching his breath after a whirlwind couple of weeks.
In that time, the 23-year-old former Manly United striker, signed a professional contract with the Phoenix and on Friday night was named Men’s Player of the Year at the New South Wales NPL awards dinner.
Parkhouse was still bubbling yesterday and said the last couple of weeks had been a fantastic feeling.
“I knew I was in the running (to win the award) but there are some terrific players in the league and just to be mentioned in the same breath as them is amazing.
“Now I just want to settle down, start training with my new team-mates and justify the faith Ernie Merrick has shown in me.”
Head Coach Ernie Merrick said Parkhouse has all the qualities he looks for in a striker.
“He is quick, strong and is left footed, which is a bonus as Kosta (Barbarouses), Hamish (Watson) and Roy Krishna are all right footed,” Merrick said.
“Adam knows where the goal is and I think he is now showing the benefit of being in the Wigan Athletic Academy in England as a 14-year-old.
“We signed him at the right time, because now he has won that award more people would have been chasing him.
“That is down to the Apia guys, who talked us into going to watch Apia play Manly while we were in Sydney for the FFA Cup game against the Wanderers and training at their ground.
“Adam was the standout player that night so I invited him to train with us for a week and he was outstanding again.”
