The Wellington Phoenix won't sign any new players in the A-League transfer window, despite the club being in need of an out-and-out striker.
Ernie Merrick Photo: Photosport
The sixth-placed Phoenix have a strong midfield presence and create plenty of goal-scoring opportunities through Roly Bonevacia and Michael McGlinchey.
However they often lack the finishing touch up front, and plenty of those chances on goal have gone begging.
Coach Ernie Merrick concedes they need to be more clinical in front of goal and says they're in the market for a genuine striker, though he said the January transfer window wasn't the place to go searching.
"No players within the A-League move within the January transfer window.
"It's very rare, there's no transfer fees between clubs so there's nothing for anyone to gain. So really the only opportunity is bringing in someone from Europe but we don't have any visa spots for an overseas players and there are no returning players that I'm aware of that are looking for an A-League club so we're not looking to bring anyone in in the transfer window."
Merrick has more pressing problems to overcome with the Phoenix calling in players from outside their squad to cover their growing injury list.
He said right back Louis Fenton would be sidelined for up to a month with an ankle injury while fellow defender Tom Doyle received his fifth yellow card for the season last week, incurring an automatic one-match suspension.
Veteran Ben Sigmund is still two to three weeks away from returning, having suffered a hamstring injury, while Justin Gully is out of action with a similar complaint.
The missing players leave the Phoenix without several first choice defenders for Boxing Day's match in Adelaide.
- RNZ
