Soccer: Dadi and instant hit for Phoenix

Eugene Dadi spent a long time in hospital yesterday. In the morning, he visited sick children and followed this up with an appointment with a surgeon about his 15-stitch facial wound.

Wellington Phoenix fans will hope the news is positive. Their new striker has scored three goals in two games and helped the Phoenix to a record-equalling three consecutive wins and momentum at a crucial time in the season.

But he was sporting 15 stitches just below an eyebrow after a clash of heads in the 3-0 win over North Queensland on Friday night. It forced him from the field and put him in doubt for Friday night's visit to Perth.

It's not a match Dadi will want to miss. He spent two years in Western Australia but left in January after he made only six appearances for the Glory this season.

It was a frustrating time for him, especially after such a good 2008-09, when he was the fans' Player of the Year and, at 36, might have feared that his career was fizzling out.

Wellington jumped at the chance to sign a player who has historically been a menace to them on the pitch and he has immediately repaid them.

Dadi was confident he would play against Perth: "If the coach picks me, I will be playing," he said from hospital yesterday.

"It would be nice to go back there and see some of the fans and go back to the club where I used to play. But I'm a Phoenix player now. I wear the yellow and black. It has been a great start for me [at the club]. I couldn't have dreamed of a better start."

He announced himself with a bicycle kick in last weekend's 3-1 win over Brisbane and followed it up with a coolly taken second before his well-placed looping header against North Queensland on Friday.

Dadi has added a new dimension to Ricki Herbert's side and it wouldn't be a surprise if he was signed for next season. His physical presence up front is something the club have lacked and his three goals is already fourth on the scoring list behind Paul Ifill (nine), Tim Brown (six) and Chris Greenacre (five).

Scoring goals is something he has done most of his career. The Ivory Coast international (he made one appearance in 2000 before Didier Drogba came along) first made his mark with Toulouse in the French First Division.

He then had three years in Austria with Linz and six in the UK with Aberdeen, Livingstone, Tranmere Rovers, Nottingham Forest and Notts County.

But his exploits off it have also been noteworthy. He has his own fashion label and made a name for himself on the stage in Austria.

"I was part of a comedy exhibition once," he explains. "The manager of the side picked a few players to play against some actors. The producer there saw me and gave me a role for his next show that he was working on. I was in two shows every week for a year.

"Acting is something I would like to do after football. Why not? I hope one day I can do it again."

He did emphasise, though, that "for me, acting is on the theatre or the big screen [and not on the football pitch]".

Wellington are in a good position to make the top-six playoffs but four of their five matches are away from Westpac Stadium, where they have been unbeaten in 16 games.

Momentum is with them but they will want their big striker on the park.

"I'm just seeing the surgeon to double check everything is OK," he says. "I have spent a long time in hospital today. But I'm OK."