However, he fully supports the A-League franchise who delivered their best campaign last summer despite not making the playoffs although they did sit on the top of the table briefly towards the business end.
"I just came back [from Phoenix] and had a good season with Hawke's Bay United, scoring eight goals [2013-14 season]," he says, adding he didn't emulate that feat with Waitakere United last summer when he found the net just six times.
"I guess it wasn't enough for a recall to Phoenix."
But just as one door closes, another has opened for Biss who is relishing his time on his debut with the Bill Robertson-coached flagship Rovers team in the Central League.
Last week he received an email from NZ Football to attend the under-23 national camp in North harbour from June 15-19 in a bid to make the cull for the Olympic qualifying tournament in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, from July 29 to August 31.
"I want to make that team to go to the qualifiers.
"I'd love to be an Olympian," says Biss who has ambitions to see the world next year if his Rio dreams dissipate as well.
But a more immediate work detail awaits at Bluewater Stadium in the 2pm kickoff tomorrow in the cup against a team the Rovers beat 3-1 in their league opener to start a dream run.
The Danny Wilson-captained side stumbled for the first time (1-0) last Sunday to lowly Petone FC after a seven-match winning streak in the league.
"I've never ever got past the third round of Chatham Cup so it's something I'd like to win."
He again gravitated to the Rovers, for whom he played three seasons until he was 14, because of his respect for Robertson and assistant coach Chris Greatholder.
"They were huge mentors throughout my career.
"I'm from the Bay and born and bred here so it was an easy decision because my family's from here, too, and it all started in football here," says the former Wairarapa Utd player, adding it was timely to receive a wake-up call last Sunday.
"Stop Out will be a big game. You only get one shot and you're out," he says, mindful the next league match is against second-placed Western Suburbs who are only two points adrift now.
-Wanderers coach Bruce Barclay says David v Goliath cliches aside, it's simply a "cool opportunity" for his Lotto Federation League team players against the Ifill-coached Wairarapa at Masterton Memorial Park.
"Our players will be up against guys who have national league experience and in the O and A-Leagues so you have to take it as a great challenge," says Barclay of the villagers who beat Seatoun 3-0 away in the first round. "Players tend to have different responses - some get excited while others tend to get nervous so it's about turning it all into something positive," he says, adding there's no pressure on Havelock.
CUP DETAILS
Rovers: Ruben Parker Hanks (GK), 5 Finlay Milne, 6 Miles John, 7 Stephen Hoyle, 8 Ryan Tinsley, 9 Angus Kilkolly, 10 Saul Halpin, 11 Tom Biss, 14 Josh Stevenson, 15 James Hoyle, 16 Danny Wilson (c), 17 Fergus Neil, 18 Chris Greatholder, 19 Bill Robertson, 20 Fane Morgan, 23 Kyle Baxter (RGK ).
Coach: Bill Robertson.
Stop Out: Joshua Hill (GK), 2 James Sutcliffe,3 Liam Higgins, 4 Andy Fairlie, 5 Michael Hagarty, 6 Khalid Razouk, 7 Martin Packer, 8 Enrico Meirelles, 9 James Wypych, 10 Micky Malivuk, 11 Andrew Abba, 12 Brandon Tai, 14 Luke Grindley, 15 Daniel De Gans, 16 Jason Tipping, 17 Steven Gulley, 18 Sam Pickering, 19 Jordan Martens, Matt Clarke (RGK).
Coach: Chris Sambrooke.
Wairarapa Utd: Matt Borren (GK), 2 Fidell Richards, 3 Carl Shailer, 4 Nathan Cooksley, 5 Josh Margetts, 6 Sam O'Regan, 7 Magno Viera, 8 Paul Ifill, 9 Seule Soromon, 10 Sam Mason-Smith, 11 Cory Chettleburgh, 12 Ollie Rowland, 13 Thomas Hemi, 14 Aaron Spierling, 15 Adam Wallis, 16 Liam Hare, 17 Mark Hemi, 19 Adam Cowan, Scott Basalaj (RGK ).
Coach: Paul Ifill.
Havelock North: Jarrod Hastings (GK), 3 Tuhiwhai Kennedy, 4 Monty Morgan, 5 Campbell Whitworth, 6 Charlie Nash, 7 Che Jesson-Bentley, 8 Quenten Hunt, 9 Jared Bloor, 10 Scott Saurin, 11 Laurent Larcelet, 13 Bjorn Christensen, 15 Stefan Kitching-Nicholsen, 16 Daniel Lynch, 17 Andy Jeffs, 19 Henare Green, Mitchell Webber (RGK).
Coach: Bruce Barclay.
Other games:
Today, 2pm: PN Marist v Redsox Manawatu.
Tomorrow, 2pm: New Plymouth Rangers v Tawa AFC, Lower Hutt City v Petone FC., Victoria University v Island Bay Utd, Wellington Utd v Western Suburbs, Wellington Olympic v North End AFC.
