NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Sport / Football

Soccer: Fenton making a name for himself

Michael Burgess
By Michael Burgess
Senior Sports Journalist·Herald on Sunday·
27 Oct, 2012 04:30 PM5 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Club insiders say Fenton has pace, mental toughness, precocious ability with the ball at his feet and the courage to take on and beat opponents. Photo / Getty

Club insiders say Fenton has pace, mental toughness, precocious ability with the ball at his feet and the courage to take on and beat opponents. Photo / Getty

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

There are plenty of examples of children being named after famous sportspeople but Louis Fenton's situation is hard to beat.

The Phoenix midfielder, an early season revelation at the Wellington club, carries the full name of Louis Ferenc Puskas Fenton, in deference to the Hungarian football legend.

Puskas scored 84 goals in 85 internationals, including two in each of Hungary's most famous wins over England, 6-3 at Wembley in 1953 and 7-1 in Budapest in 1954.

He also starred in the great Real Madrid side that dominated Europe in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

He is recognised as one of the greatest players of all time and in 2009, the Fifa Puskas Award was introduced for the player who scores the "most beautiful" goal every year.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"My dad was football-crazy and my mum is from Hungary," says Fenton. "Put all that together and somehow they came up with that. For a long time, I was definitely embarrassed by it and I wasn't too impressed with my father. It wasn't the best middle name to have at school."

Growing up in Tawa in the late 1990s, there wasn't much awareness of a little-known (in New Zealand, at least) Eastern European legend but the Puskas name has plenty of resonance around the Phoenix dressing room.

"The boys have given me plenty of stick," admits Fenton. "They always tell me it's the worst middle name they've ever heard."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

However, that has been just about the only source of jibes coming Fenton's way - he has been a model professional since he arrived at the Phoenix as part of the Academy in June.

He impressed on the pre-season tour to India and coach Ricki Herbert handed him one of three youth spots with the Phoenix.

Having made the squad, Fenton forced his way into the starting 11, culminating in a dream first A-League game where he upstaged Alessandro Del Piero on the Italian legend's Sydney FC debut.

It's been a rapid rise, considering this time 12 months ago, he was an unknown preparing for his first ASB Premiership season with Team Wellington.

Discover more

Wellington Phoenix

Soccer: Draw keeps Phoenix's unbeaten record intact

21 Oct 04:30 PM
Wellington Phoenix

Soccer: Herbert satisfied with point

22 Oct 04:30 AM
Football

Soccer: Bertos at home at the back

26 Oct 12:34 AM
Football

Phoenix on a roll

26 Oct 04:30 PM

"So far, it's been a dream come true," says Fenton. "Everything has happened so fast, probably too fast for me to get a big head or anything like that. I know I have a lot of work ahead of me this year.

"I knew that first game was going to be my easiest, because after that, teams will get to know me and what it is I like to do."


Fenton is a graduate of Central League club Tawa. He went to Australia last year, appearing for St Albans in the Victorian State League but it was a difficult experience as the Saints were relegated. Fenton stood out for Team Wellington in the 2011-12 ASB Premiership (eight goals in 12 games) before returning for another stint in the VPL, this time with the Melbourne Knights.

"That experience [in Australia] was pretty important," says Fenton. "It toughened me up and improved my skills. It's more physical (than the ASB Premiership) and there's lots of passion from the supporters."

The 19-year-old Fenton attracted the attention of both Melbourne A-League clubs but his import status was always going to be problematic. A phone call from Herbert asking him to come home stymied any potential rival bids. Aside from his obvious attacking skills and eye for goal, Fenton's work ethic has been a stand-out through his career.

"What sets him apart from other players of his age is his work rate," says Team Wellington coach Matt Calcott. "He has taken some pretty big steps over the last 18 months but his energy levels are incredible. Every time he hits the park, he finds that level of consistency rare in players of his age."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Fenton and fellow youth player Tyler Boyd have recently been promoted to the senior dressing room but otherwise still have to fulfil all of the tasks associated with an Academy player, modelled on the British apprentice system.

Fenton arrives at 8am every morning and helps with various tasks before training, including pumping up the footballs and preparing protein shakes. After training, and the afternoon gym sessions, Fenton finishes each day by cleaning the boots of Paul Ifill and Chris Greenacre.

"It's fine," says Fenton. "It's all part of the job. They have been great to me, always helping me out with plenty of advice and tips."

Fenton still has a lot to prove - and will have plenty of ups and downs this season - but his promise is unquestioned.

Some club insiders feel he has the potential to be better than Marco Rojas, the last wunderkind to emerge from the Phoenix.

He has pace, mental toughness, precocious ability with the ball at his feet (the benefit of endless dribbling drills in the park with his father) and the courage to take on and beat opponents.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Fenton, who lists fellow Wellingtonian Vaughan Coveny as an inspiration, is clear on his goals.

"I'd like to establish myself in the A-League and one day be seen as one of the better players in the competition," says Fenton. "Then I would like to go over to Europe and do well there. That's the plan. And of course it would be a dream to play for the All Whites one day."

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Football

Football

From humiliation to history: Reliving Auckland City FC's wild ride at Fifa Club World Cup

29 Jun 05:00 PM
Premium
New Zealand

Kiwi athletes urged to watch what they wear - or risk falling foul of drug testers

29 Jun 12:00 AM
New Zealand

Napier City Rovers face must-win clashes to keep league hopes alive

25 Jun 05:00 PM

There’s more to Hawai‘i than beaches and buffets – here’s how to see it differently

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Football

From humiliation to history: Reliving Auckland City FC's wild ride at Fifa Club World Cup

From humiliation to history: Reliving Auckland City FC's wild ride at Fifa Club World Cup

29 Jun 05:00 PM

Auckland City FC's unlikely journey captured the imagination of the global media.

Premium
Kiwi athletes urged to watch what they wear - or risk falling foul of drug testers

Kiwi athletes urged to watch what they wear - or risk falling foul of drug testers

29 Jun 12:00 AM
Napier City Rovers face must-win clashes to keep league hopes alive

Napier City Rovers face must-win clashes to keep league hopes alive

25 Jun 05:00 PM
'Still sinking in': Auckland City defender relives historic Fifa Club World Cup goal against Boca Juniors

'Still sinking in': Auckland City defender relives historic Fifa Club World Cup goal against Boca Juniors

25 Jun 05:30 AM
From early mornings to easy living
sponsored

From early mornings to easy living

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP