Football: Griffiths jets in to add strike power to Phoenix

Joel Griffiths, left. Photo: NZPA / Ross Setford

Joel Griffiths hopes his stint in Wellington will be short, sweet and full of success.

After breaking ties in controversial circumstances with his beloved Newcastle Jets recently, the 35-year-old has joined the Wellington Phoenix for the rest of the A-League season.

There are nine rounds to go before the playoffs and the veteran striker has made a habit of scoring goals wherever he's gone.

Wellington have created chances at will recently but have earned only two competition points out of a possible 12 from their past four games, drawing two and losing two.

Those middling results have forced coach Ernie Merrick into action - Merrick continues to maintain publicly that he's happy with his side's form despite the lack of victories - so Griffiths and the yet-to-be-sighted Kwabena Appiah have been added to their strike force.

Griffiths will be thrown into the fire tomorrow and will take a spot on the Phoenix's bench for their clash with the Melbourne Victory in Australia.

"The team's going really well. They're playing some great football. We've got some really good attacking options and if I can help out in any way, then great," Griffiths said. "I really think this team has some big ambition and hopefully I can contribute in some way."

Griffiths has left his wife and two children in Newcastle to join the Phoenix and there are no plans to play in the capital beyond this season as he is set up across the Tasman.

"At my age you sort of just plan week by week and go from there. But my body feels good. I haven't had any major injuries and I can still keep up with these young whippersnappers."

Griffiths will probably be used in a super-sub role behind frontmen Nathan Burns, Roy Krishna and Michael McGlinchey for the rest of the summer.

Defender Louis Fenton won't be in the squad for tomorrow's game because of the concussion he suffered a fortnight ago. Manny Muscat missed training yesterday as his wife was due to give birth soon but he was expected to suit up against the Victory.

Wellington are in fourth place on the A-League ladder and their next three games are against the teams who are above them. After meeting the Victory tomorrow they host Adelaide next week before a trip to Perth on March 14.

"It's crucial, it'll be a real yardstick of where we're at," Merrick said.

Meanwhile, Capital Football development manager Des Buckingham will coach the Phoenix's goalkeepers for the rest of the season following the departure of Jonathan Gould, who has joined English Premier League club West Bromwich Albion.