Player Targets for the Wellington Phoenix

It doesn't get any worse for a team when they get thrashed 7-1 and certainly for the Wellington Phoenix, it raised plenty of issues about the team that have pretty much hung around for much of this season.

The biggest problem for the Phoenix this season has clearly been the loss of Tim Brown - there's really no one who has stepped up to take his place as the one who runs up and down the field to win the ball and boss the midfield. We've got great attacking players but sadly they're not getting the quality ball they deserve. And at the same time, no one is protecting what was a good backline with the core of Andrew Durante and Ben Sigmund.

Tim Brown - his loss has been keenly felt this season

There is some potential talent in the Wellington Phoenix's academy as evident by the success of Tyler Boyd and Louis Fenton this season as regulars and also young Tom Biss and Luke Rowe who did well when they made their debuts earlier in the season but as we've seen with Aston Villa this season, you can't really afford to just play kids in your lineup during a regular season as they will be absolutely skinned.

Dan Keat playing for the Phoenix

Dan Keat
The LA Galaxy have released the promising All Whites midfielder after a season plagued by injury. Keat looked set to impress David Beckham's former team when he made his debut this season but after injury interrupted his season, never really recovered. With Brown gone, Keat could be the perfect player to fill the void left by Tim Brown - and his chances of playing at the Phoenix would be improved if Herbert is still at the club.

Michael McGlinchey

Michael McGlinchey
McGlinchey has established himself as one of the best midfielders in the A-League and may be quite hard to pry away from the table topping, Central Coast Mariners and their coach Graham Arnold. However, if Herbert remains at the Phoenix, the Phoenix could be a very tempting proposition for Wellington-born McGlinchey who could be the perfect fit in a midfield badly needing control.

Rory Delap

Rory Delap
A long shot this but could be worth considering once his contract at Stoke finishes at the end of the season. Delap has experience playing in the Premier League and for Ireland and is very much at the tail end of his career. Of course, most football followers would know him for his long, long throw-ins but in a league a few steps below the Premier League, Delap might still excel at a more comfortable pace for his age. Worth a punt in my opinion.

Alan Smith

Alan Smith
A former England striker converted to a holding midfielder by Sir Alex Ferguson - Smith has matured since his bad boy days at Leeds having somewhat disappeared from the bright lights of the Premier League but will his wage demands and disciplinary record be too much for the Phoenix to handle?

And not a midfielder I know but has anyone taken a punt on this former England striker?

James Beattie

James Beattie
Ten years ago, Beattie was the top English born scorer in the Premier League and only behind Thierry Henry and Ruud van Nistelrooy. The former Southampton striker never really kicked off after that despite commanding the highest transfer fees at Everton and Sheffield United at the time and after injuries plagued the last few years of his career, Beattie is currently plying his trade for fourth division side Accrington Stanley. Another striker at the Phoenix might not be a bad option especially considering Paul Ifil's recent proneness to injury and Beattie could be a success in the A-League which is of a similar level to League Two yet has a higher profile and higher wages - and often better weather when he goes away from Wellington.