Ricki Herbert's parting gift to the Wellington Phoenix has finally arrived in the capital after clearing up his visa issues.
Carlos Hernandez signed with the Phoenix in February and only days later Herbert stepped down as the club's coach as a run of poor results finally caught up with him.
Hernandez was expected to touch down in Wellington late last month but was hamstrung by some paperwork problems. The small delay won't be a major problem given the A-League season doesn't start for another three months.
Hernandez's recruitment could turn out to be an inspired acquisition if he can go close to the type of form he showed for the Melbourne Victory during his Johnny Warren Medal-winning campaign in 2009-2010.
The 31-year-old most recently played in India's I-League for Prayag United but it didn't appear as though he enjoyed his experience in the sub-continent.
"Not good but no comment," he laughed.
Now in Wellington, the former Costa Rican international will go straight into training with the Phoenix under new coach Ernie Merrick, a man Hernandez knows well from the time they spent together at the Victory.
Hernandez acknowledged there will be pressure on him to perform when the season gets underway on October 13.
"As a player you do have the pressure, as an international player as well," he said through an interpreter. "But Carlos is here to do my job and to get Wellington into the finals."
Just who will partner Hernandez in the middle of the park will be one of Merrick's priorities in the off-season as he finalises his squad.
Merrick has Vince Lia on the books, and he could play in a holding role with Hernandez allowed to roam in attack further forward where he is known to produce his best work.
A handful of players are currently on trial at the Phoenix, including centre-back Luke Adams, and fullbacks Dominik Traunmueller and Josh South.
Adams captained the New Zealand under-20s at their recent World Cup and was formerly contracted to English club Derby County.
Traunmueller was previously a member of Bayern Munich's under-19 team and holds a New Zealand passport courtesy of his Christchurch-born mother. He has also represented Austria at under-17 level.
Right-back has long been a problem position for the Phoenix, who converted Leo Bertos to play in defence last summer in a bid to find a reliable option there, and Lia, Manny Muscat and the discarded Jimmy Downey have all been used in recent times with mixed success.
Merrick has also expressed a need for another striker and midfielder before the season begins.
Meanwhile, New Zealand under-20s right-back, Storm Roux has signed with the Central Coast Mariners after playing all three games for the Junior All Whites at the recent Under-20 World Cup in Turkey.
Roux, who was born in South Africa but also holds Australian citizenship, made his A-League debut for Perth last summer.
"I got a big confidence boost when I found out a big club like the Mariners and a coach like Graham Arnold wanted me," Roux said in a statement.
