Few eyebrows were raised when Wellington Phoenix secured the services of Paul Ifill.
With all the pre-season talk focused on Gold Coast United's big-name signings and the arrival of Robbie Fowler at North Queensland, Ifill's move from English Championship club Crystal Palace slipped under the radar.
But after Sunday's virtuoso
display against the Gold Coast, setting up three goals and scoring one of his own in the Phoenix's record-equalling 6-0 win, Ifill demonstrated his qualities in emphatic style.
The 30-year-old started his career with Millwall and was a key player in one of the strongest teams in the Lions' history.
But after reaching the FA Cup final in 2004, the Lions began to sell off their prized assets with Ifill switching to Sheffield United for £800,000 ($1.72 million).
Ifill experienced mixed fortunes at the Blades, winning promotion from the Championship in 2005 before making a swift return from the English Premier League after just one season. A £850,000 move to Palace followed in 2007.
But after injuries, loss of form and a breakdown in his relationship with manager Neil Warnock, the Barbados international was set to quit the game after being transfer-listed by the cash-strapped Eagles.
It was a chance conversation with Palace teammate, Nick Carle, that led him to the A-League and the Brighton-born winger said the switch has rekindled his love for the game.
"Nicky said some good things about the league and put me in touch with an agent out here and so far it has gone really well and I am enjoying it," Ifill said. "I was finding it quite boring in England. At Palace we were an OK side but if I had stayed there for another season it would have been another season of mid-table obscurity.
Ifill believes the style of football adopted by the Phoenix is more suited to his talents and has been pleasantly surprised by the quality of the A-League.
- AAP
