The Wellington Phoenix have scooped all of the major accolades to start the new men’s and women’s A-League seasons, winning four awards.
Rylee Foster and Alex Paulsen have been voted the women’s and men’s players of the month for October and November, while Paul Temple and Giancarlo Italiano have won the respective coach of the month awards for October.
Foster has helped the Phoenix make their best start to a Liberty A-League season and beat nine other nominees for the women’s player of the month award.
Main photo: … an award-winning start to thee A-League seasons. From left, Rylee Foster, Alex Paulsen, Paul Temple and Giancarlo Italiano.
The Canadian goalkeeper made 20 saves in five appearances in October and November, having been forced to sit out the third round match against Brisbane Roar due to injury, keeping a clean sheet in the second round win over Western Sydney Wanderers and making 20 saves.
Fellow ‘keeper Paulsen has also enjoyed a stunning start to the 2023-24 Isuzu UTE A-League and he’s been recognised by being voted the men’s player of the month.
He too made five appearances in October and November, keeping two clean sheets and making 19 saves, most notably denying both Adam Taggart and Jamie Maclaren from the penalty spot to secure the Nix wins over Perth Glory and Melbourne City.
Temple and Italiano were both one of four nominees for the women’s and men’s coach of the month awards, which covered matches played in October and the first weekend of November.
Temple guided Wellington’s women to two wins from three A-League matches, with the team scoring five goals and conceding just two.
After a narrow opening round defeat to Melbourne City, the Phoenix bounced back to beat Western Sydney Wanderers 3-0 before returning home to beat the in-form Brisbane Roar 2-1.
Italiano, who has yet to suffer a defeat as an A-League head coach, guided the men to two wins and a draw in their first three matches, with the team scoring seven goals and conceding just three.
The Nix earned a hard-fought draw in their opening match at Western Sydney before recording home victories over Perth Glory and Brisbane Roar.
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This story is published with the help of the Wellington Phoenix.
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