Soccer: Coach chases three players

Ricki Herbert. Photo / Getty Images

Ricki Herbert is seeking the signatures of at least three players as he looks to complete his Wellington Phoenix squad for the coming season.

The complicating factor, however, is whether Herbert will ink his signature to an offer to coach overseas and leave Wellington three years after becoming their inaugural coach.

The start of the new A-League season is just five weeks away and the Phoenix kicked off their pre-season campaign with a 2-1 victory against Brisbane in Hamilton yesterday. They did it against a backdrop of uncertainty surrounding Herbert's future with the club.

The Phoenix and All Whites boss didn't think this would be a distraction and was piecing together a squad regardless of whether he would be around or not next season.

That means he's chasing a central defender who can also play left back, an attacking midfielder and a striker.

Herbert must add another under-21 player so has to weigh up whether he's among those three or an addition.

Clubs must have a minimum of 20 and a maximum of 23 players on their books by August 1 and three must be under-age players.

"We have time and I'm more than happy with what we have got at the moment," Herbert said. "We virtually have the entire starting 11 from last season still with us.

"We have really only just started work on signings because [owner] Terry [Serepisos] wanted to wait until I got back from South Africa before doing too much. We are in conversation with a number of agents at the moment and have a few choices to make.

"Not having a full squad at the start of the season gives us some flexibility if we want to go to the market later.

"The club now has a good profile, which is completely different to what it was like in year one [2007-08], so a lot of agents are interested in directing their players to us."

Herbert is trialling 25-year-old Brazilian striker Magno Vieira, All Whites midfielder Cole Peverley and young Onehunga striker Sean Lovemore. All three played against the Brisbane Roar yesterday.

Vieira has spent the past seven years playing in England in the lower leagues with Northampton Town, Carlisle United, Barnet, Crawley Town, Cambridge United, Wycombe Wanderers and most recently Ebbsfleet United. He has apparently impressed in training and is said to be quick and skilful.

Peverley was taken to South Africa with the World Cup squad as injury cover for Tim Brown but missed out on a spot in the final 23, while Lovemore would qualify as an underage player.

With two of five import spots left to fill if he wants, Herbert expected a couple of his signings would be players from outside Australasia.

Jon McKain, Liam Reddy, Adrian Caceres, Eugene Dadi, David Mulligan, Michael Ferrante and Costa Barbarouses have all left Wellington from last season's squad.

Striker Dylan Macallister and young Wanganui defender James Musa have so far been signed in their place.

Wellington kick off their A-League season at home to Gold Coast on August 13.