The Wellington Phoenix can confirm that players and coaching staff have departed their Sydney hotel in New South Wales, which has been their base for the past nine weeks during the Hyundai A-League’s season re-start.
Coach Ufuk Talay and coaching staff have returned to New Zealand, along with players David Ball, Callan Elliot, Louis Fenton, Te Atawhai Hudson-Wihongi, Zac Jones, Alex Rufer, Oliver Sail, Walter Scott, Sam Sutton and Ben Waine.
These staff and players will quarantine in Wellington for the next 14 days at a government-appointed quarantine hotel.
Australian-based players Luke DeVere, Cameron Devlin, Liam McGing, Reno Piscopo, Jaushua Sotirio and Brandon Wilson will remain in Australia and have begun the process of returning home to their respective states.
Steven Taylor, Ulises Davila and Matti Steinmann will return to the UK, Mexico and Germany respectively for the off-season. In addition Stefan Marinovic, Liberato Cacace and Callum McCowatt have elected to travel to Europe directly from Australia for personal reasons.
The club worked extensively with New Zealand government authorities including Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and Department of Immigration, as well as New Zealand Army and Wellington International Airport and Football Federation Australia to facilitate the return of players and staff. The club would like to pass on their sincere thanks to all parties involved.
