Another big move in A-League team’s dream transfer

Defender Finn Surman is the third Wellington Phoenix graduate to make a high-profile move abroad this transfer window, joining MLS club Portland Timbers.

The centre-back’s move to the US follows team-mates Alex Paulsen (Bournemouth) and Ben Old (AS Saint-Etienne) signing in Europe after record-breaking seasons in the Isuzu UTE A-League for the Phoenix.

“It’s kind of a pinch-me moment,” Surman said.

“It’s not something I really expected, but it’s something I’m really excited about now that it’s happening.

“I’m happy for Alex and also for Ben because we’re all quite close. We’ve played together a lot over the years at the academy and have played together a lot this season.

“Deep down, every young footballer wants to persevere and reach the highest level he or she can. We all try to achieve that in our own way.”

The 20-year-old enjoyed a successful season in Wellington, starting all 29 games as Phoenix reached the semi-finals and broke the club record for most points in a season.

Surman memorably scored the winning goal in injury time against Melbourne Victory in round 24, although it was later ruled an own goal.

The former New Zealand U20 captain also made his debut for the All Whites late last year, starting every match in Vanuatu, playing a key role in the team winning the recently held OFC Nations Cup.

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“I feel like it’s a good step for me to go from the A-League to MLS,” he said.

“I think the jump for a central defender like me is not that big and there will be opportunities to play if I take my chances, and that’s something that’s important to me.

“I see Portland as a place where I can develop further and hopefully take the next step in my career.”

He continued: “I believe people are products of their environment and I wouldn’t be the person and player I am today without the Wellington Phoenix.

“A special thanks to Chiefy, Griffs and Uffie for helping me develop and play the game I love at a professional level.

“But it’s not just the players and staff who make the club, it’s also the volunteers and the fans.

“This season has been pretty special for me, every time I walked onto the Sky Stadium in front of the home fans I felt so proud to be playing for Wellington Phoenix

“Even though the result in our last game didn’t go in our favour, the fact that the stadium was full was something incredibly special and I will never forget that night.

“I would like to thank all the fans and the club as a whole for giving me the opportunity to experience professional football.”

Italiano, who helped several young players make big steps in their professional careers in his first season as coach in Wellington, congratulated Surman on his move.

“I’m really happy for Finn,” Italiano said. “I think he deserves it, especially after a great season.

“We saw in pre-season that he had a lot of potential, so we didn’t go with a foreign central defender. He took the initiative and was one of our most consistent players.

“Finn will be greatly missed, but his departure provides an opportunity for Isaac Hughes or Lukas Kelly-Heald to take on that role.”

Meanwhile, the club’s director of football operations Shaun Gill has praised the deal, which has led to the best transfer window in Wellington Phoenix’s history.

“These are the three biggest outgoings in the club’s history and for them to happen in one transfer window is simply incredible,” said Gill.

“It is no coincidence that Finn, AP and Oldie all came through our academy and it shows that we have developed a first class, performance-driven pathway for young Kiwi footballers.

“Our staff, both at Fraser Park and NZCIS, deserve a lot of credit for the role they have played in their development as players and as people.

“We look forward to helping other young New Zealanders realise their dreams of playing overseas in the years to come.”