A Player's Perspective

Chris Greenacre has sampled the highs and lows of a travelling footballer, and is more than happy with what he has found at Wellington Phoenix.

Starting out as an apprentice at Manchester City gave him a taste of what top football on the road is all about.

“It was everything a young lad could ask for,” Greenacre says.

“All our travel within England was by coaches that had all mod cons, and we got to stay at some of the best hotels.

“At training we would arrive and all the kit was laid out, and once you finished your apprenticeship you had your boots cleaned by the young players.”

It was on some of those coach trips that Greenacre watched in amazement as the senior players got into their card games.

“There would be 5 or 6 thousand pounds in the kitty on some hands. It was amazing, more money than I had seen in my life.

“I hate to think what it is like now with what the Premier League players are paid. They probably gamble in gold bullion!”

The high life ended for Greenacre when he was transferred to then third division club Mansfield Town.

It meant taking his training gear home to wash, and the luxury coaches were replaced by more modest buses and overnight stays in hotels were rare. When they did occur it was not in the five-star luxury enjoyed while at City.

“The yardstick was that anything south of the Watford Gap meant an overnight stay and there weren’t many of those.

“If we went somewhere north such as Carlisle it would mean a long coach trip with a stop at a motorway service station for a sandwich and a walk and stretch in the car park.

“Then we had to go out and play with our manager’s words ringing in our ears: ‘Don’t use this as an excuse for not playing well!’” 

“Later, when I was at Tranmere Rovers I vividly remember a trip to Southend.

“Our bus broke down after about three hours and we had to wait for a replacement from the same depot. There we were sat on a motorway embankment waiting for two hours while it arrived.

“Then the lights on the replacement failed and we had to have another sent from a different company to pick us up. It took us 11 hours and it was after midnight when we arrived at the hotel.”

Since joining the Phoenix Greenacre has experienced the longest club journey in world football – Wellington to Perth.

“That is a tough journey, but the club makes it as painless as possible and as someone who has seen it from both sides I appreciate what is done for me.

“I arrive at the airport and all the big bags have been checked in. The players arrive, put their personal bags in and then walk to the Qantas Club lounge.

“Having seen travel from both sides I really appreciate what Crumpy (physiotherapist Adam Crump), Mal (football operations manager Mal Impiombato) and Russ (gear steward Russell Gray) do for us.

“Crumpy seems to be on duty 24 x 7, and I should know because I spend a lot of time in the medical room, which is the heartbeat of any football club, either being treated or just loitering.

“The way we are treated it is no hardship to help with the luggage when we arrive at our destination. It doesn’t cost anything to pick up a bag, does it?

“Being with the Phoenix is like being back at Manchester City again and I am so glad I came to this part of the world.”

A Physiotherapists View

When physiotherapist Adam Crump sets off for a Wellington Phoenix away game it looks as if he is going on a month’s vacation.

Seven large pieces of luggage are loaded into the kit man’s Hyundai van, which by this time is bursting at the seams.

First test of the trip comes at the airport where he and the kit man like to get all the large baggage, usually around 15 pieces checked in before the players arrive.

For the first couple of years it was a nightmare, but these days the Qantas check in personnel have the procedure off pat and make it a painless operation.

Once at the hotel his equipment has to be installed in his room and, sometimes, one of the benefits of the job is that he usually gets the biggest room.

Mind you, when the massage table is in place, along with drink containers, the medical coffin and boxes of protein and muesli bars it doesn’t look quite so large.

However long the trip, be it two days or eight, Crumpy’s room becomes the meeting point for the players.

“There might only be one player in for treatment but it doesn’t take long for others to arrivefor a chat,” Crumpy says.

“There is plenty of good banter and a lot of mickey taking. Within the squad there is a real togetherness, but the All Whites seem to stick together, while the Aussie boys all seem to turn up together.”

So what attracts them when they don’t need treatment.

“I think the main attraction is the lollies and protein bars, the TV and the internet. Hotels can be lonely places if you stay in your room all the time. The physio room is a good meeting place for everyone,”

No one in the Phoenix travelling party is busier than Crumpy, whether it be treating injuries or giving massages. So who does he see most often?

“Some are on the [massage] bed more often than others. I see Brownie quite a bit, and Vinnie. Greenie also comes in quite often but you can’t blame him. After all he is 30-something. Actually it is his wheelchair that takes the most fixing!”

The downside of the job is that the boys can come banging on Crumpy’s door looking for late night snacks.

Most of the time he doesn’t answer the door, but one time he did the intruders raided the pizza shapes and scattered them outside the door of goalkeeping coach Jonathon Gould.

Now anyone who knows Gouldy will testify that the culprits were well advised to be nowhere in sight when he opened his door.

Crumpy isn’t one to be trifled with either, as one or two people at A-League grounds will testify. If the air conditioning isn’t working to his satisfaction, or he feels he has been short changed on Gatorade or bottled water – look out.

It was natural that Crumpy should end up working at New Zealand’s only professional football club.

After six years qualifying as a physio through university and post-graduation he went to work for Roland Jeffery who just happens to be the All Whites physio.

Roland also worked for the Phoenix in season two and it was only natural when he left at the end of that season to concentrate on his Auckland practice that Crumpy, as everyone affectionately calls him, should take over after serving an apprenticeship with New Zealand national age grade sides.

One thing is for sure: for a physio life on the road with a football club is never dull.

On The Road With The Wellington Phoenix

What is the best signing the Wellington Phoenix has made during its four-year sojourn in the Hyundai A League?

You have to admit, it is a question that would keep the chat going in the Four Kings bar for many an hour.

Shane Smeltz? Certainly delivered the goals. Mark, Paston, Glen Moss, Liam Reddy or Danny Vukovic? Each one of the quartet came to the rescue at vital times over an exciting four seasons.

Ross Aloisi, inspirational skipper in that first difficult season? Goal-scoring midfielder Tim Brown? Enigmatic striker Paul Ifill?

The list goes on, but for me, and I doubt the players would be rushing to disagree, it was the club securing Qantas Club access for players and management while on their travels across the Tasman.

I can hear a few of you chuckling now, but, believe me, the number of hours players and staff have spent in airports on both sides of the Tasman during the past four seasons doesn’t bear thinking about.

Wellington’s poor away form has been well documented’ and while Ricki Herbert has always shied away from using the rigours of travel as an excuse, it definitely doesn’t help.

I’m writing this blog while waiting for a flight to Sydney en route to Adelaide where the first of our double header against United and Sydney FC will be played on Saturday night.

The players are spread around the lounge, playing video games against each other or crowded round a laptop laughing at goalkeeping howlers on You Tube.

Empty plates with crumbs, which once held tasty hot savouries,are scattered among the group.

I asked a couple of players what life would be like without Qantas Club access and the answers were “torture” and “it would do my head in”.

Going on holiday is an adventure; the trip to the airport filled with anticipation. For the Phoenix lads it is an all too familiar drive.

While trips to Sydney and Melbourne aren’t too bad, those further afield to places such as Adelaide, North Queensland and the dreaded Perth become tedious.

For the first three seasons Perth was looked forward to as much as a trip to the dentist.

The day would begin at around 1.30 with arrival at Wellington Airport two hours ahead of departure.

After a three and a half hour flight to Sydney luggage, including seven or eight large kit bags and several oversize items accompanying physiotherapist Adam Crump, needed collecting before proceeding through Customs.

The Phoenix players are a good bunch and pitch in to help with the big stuff, which has to be checked back in for the next leg.

A five-hour flight meant a midnight arrival in Perth, which is 5am in Wellington.

No wonder players looked worn out at breakfast the following morning.

Come season four and the flight to Sydney is delayed three hours. With our connection missed it means an overnight stay at a Sydney Airport hotel.

Arriving in Perth the following afternoon the players feel much fresher than usual, so a decision is made to follow the same routine for our second visit to West Australia later in the season. Lo and behold we win!

In a Sunday newspaper last week a former All White, who played for Leeds United, said English clubs didn’t moan when they had to play two games a week and travel.

With all due respect most of his journeys were a probably a coach trip over the Pennines or a train journey down to the Midlands; or perhaps a quick flight to London.

The Phoenix trip to Perth, and of course the Glory’s visit to Wellington, is the second longest trip for a club in the world (the longest is in Russia).

There is however one advantage in such a travel schedule, as one player pointed out:

“What other club gets to enjoy a free cold beer to celebrate as we do in the Qantas Club on the way home?”

He’s right. Unfortunately it has only happened twice this season – up till now!