But it wasn’t just pretty, it was effective – allowing Wellington to dominate games on the big stage.
Not everything went to plan – especially during the Covid pandemic – but Talay faithfully stuck to his beliefs. He was determined to change the footballing mindset in the country, moving on from the traditional pragmatic approach.
“We can play football - not just sit behind the ball,” reflected Talay. “We have the talent in this country to be able to do that. Things didn’t happen overnight, but it started to change - where we could beat teams not just from running and chasing, but from playing through them and around them.”
He mostly struck the jackpot with overseas recruits, developed young players and fostered a Phoenix identity that should continue beyond his tenure.
It was quite an achievement, especially considering the understated reaction to his arrival, with few Kiwis knowing much about the Sydneysider who was appointed following Mark Rudan’s controversial departure midway through his contract.
Talay had an inauspicious beginning. There were only seven players on the books when he arrived, with Sarpreet Singh, Roy Krishna, David Williams and Andrew Durante among high-profile departures.
He rebuilt the team but initially struggled for results, with four straight losses, the equal-worst start in club history. Talay was under pressure, but didn’t panic.
“If you are an inexperienced coach, you might think you need to change things, but I believe in my processes and that they were right,” said Talay. “There were glimpses of moments within games that we were on the right track. If it had continued on for eight games, it might have been a different story. But the fifth game was a draw and the sixth we won.”
The rest is history.
A third-place finish in 2019-2020 left a sense of what might have been. They enjoyed a remarkable streak between November and March (11 wins from 15 games, with only two losses) before Covid hit, forcing them to relocate and stalling momentum.
They missed the finals by a point in 2020-21 – after a weird existence based in Wollongong – before reaching the playoffs again last season, despite being forced to blood an unprecedented number of youngsters.
Talay, while emphasising he is not done yet, is proud of his achievements and feels he will leave the club in a good place, on and off the field.
He made up his mind about six weeks ago, though there have been ongoing discussions.
As he told the Herald on Sunday last month, he is chasing a position in Europe or Asia, while joining another A-League club is not a primary goal. Talay has high expectations and could be a tough taskmaster, but earned respect for taking responsibility for results, rarely admonishing players in public. He also pushed his squad to improve.
“If players try something and it doesn’t work, that’s okay, it happens,” he said last season. “It’s when they see a pass and don’t try it.”
The club are likely to appoint an internal candidate, and certainly won’t be looking beyond New Zealand and Australia.
“We have learnt that doesn’t work for us,” said general manager David Dome last month.
Friday’s announcement wasn’t ideal timing, but at least ends the speculation, and Talay is determined to finish on a high.
Players can have different reactions when coaches are on the way, but he has no concerns, saying they are professionals and the attitude at training is still “fantastic”.
The Phoenix remain in control of their own playoff hopes, but will need a major turnaround after three consecutive defeats.
Sunday’s clash with the Brisbane Roar at Eden Park (3pm) is a crucial clash, before trips to face Western Sydney Wanderers and Macarthur.
“It’s in our hands,” said Talay. “We rely on ourselves to get the outcome we want.”
