Sky Sports NZ’s Jason Pine responds to Mark Bosnich’s claims Wellington ‘offer nothing’ to the A-League and looks at Auckland’s prospects for expansion. Beginning, however, with Ernie Merrick’s departure from the Phoenix, Pine said “I think most fans were sorry to see Ernie go – mainly because he’d been such a good addition to the club since his arrival. He arrived at Wellington with a bit of a reputation as a dour scotsman and, I’m sure you would have seen some of that during his time with Melbourne Victory, but he immediately was a breath of fresh air through the club. Two seasons ago he had them playing brilliant football where they were top of the league for a while and Nathan Burns was scoring goals…
“He had the Phoenix playing good football and he had them playing with an attacking mindset and he gave young players, and young Australian players, a chance. But, for whatever reason, he wasn’t able to get the best out of them this season.” LISTEN NOW.