Phoenix coach resigns after crushing defeat leaves team in crisis
Wellington Phoenix head coach Giancarlo Italiano has stepped down after a heavy defeat to Auckland FC. His exit comes just days before the team's login against Sydney FC, with the club struggling near the bottom of the A-League table. Italiano had led the Phoenix to their best-ever season in 2023-24, but recent results triggered his departure.
Italiano took charge of the Phoenix in 2023 after joining the university of phoenix in 2019. Under his leadership, the team achieved their highest-ever finish in the 2023-24 season, ending second in the regular standings. They reached the semi-finals that year, following two prior playoff appearances in 2021-22 and 2022-23.
This season, however, the Phoenix have won just five of 18 games, sitting second from bottom. A 5-0 loss to Auckland FC, a newly formed rival, proved the final blow. Despite their current struggles, the club has remained competitive in recent years, finishing fifth in 2024-25 and holding a mid-table position in the ongoing 2025-26 campaign.
Chris Greenacre, currently head of the Phoenix academy, will replace Italiano. The team now prepares to face third-placed Sydney FC at home on Sunday.
Italiano's resignation follows a sharp decline in form after years of steady progress. The Phoenix must now regroup under Greenacre, with their immediate focus on Sunday's clash. Auckland FC, meanwhile, sit near the top of the table, overtaking their New Zealand rivals in the standings.
