Wellington Phoenix chairman Rob Morrison says a second A-League club in New Zealand would help develop the game in this country.
He said the Phoenix was not seeing enough development of the game in New Zealand, and it was professional football that was currently driving change.
“No one else is driving change in New Zealand at the moment, but it needs to change,” he said.
He said having a second A-League franchise, based in Auckland, “would be handy from our point of view”.
Morrison said that while it would increase competition for players and sponsor dollars, overall, it would be good for the game.
“When you look at the lack of development around things like the women’s game, getting another club with another outlet for players would be huge, and it has to happen at some point.”
However, to get a second New Zealand franchise “you still need someone silly enough, basically, to stand. up and go ‘hey, we’re prepared to back this’,” he said.
“They’re not small numbers so it’s got to be someone who’s who’s prepared to back it and back it for a long time because
… things just don’t work overnight.”
Morrison’s comments were made during a media briefing to announce Giancarlo Italiano as the new men’s head coach at the Wellington Phoenix.
You can watch Morrison’s comments on a second A-League franchise here:
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