As the Wellington Phoenix's embattled owner, Terry Serepisos, embarked on a financial mercy dash to Switzerland to save the club's parent company from possible liquidation, his players were intent on focusing on their own bottom line.
On the verge of a second successive appearance in the A-League's finals series, the Phoenix squad awoke in Sydney today to revelations Serepisos was en route to Zurich in a bid to sign off on loans needed to repay more than $3.5 million in outstanding tax and penalties to the Inland Revenue Department.
Four registered companies in the Serepisos portfolio are being targeted for liquidation by the IRD including Century City Football, which owns the licence for the Phoenix to participate in the A-League.
Serepisos was reportedly confident of sourcing the finance required to satisfy the IRD; A-League chief executive Lyall Gorman also upbeat, expecting the matter would be resolved "in a short matter of time".
Financial issues - including delays over wage payments -- have occasionally surfaced since the club's inception in 2008 meaning the roster was already accustomed to playing through uncertainty.
Tony Lochhead, a foundation member of the team, said this latest saga would not prove a distraction as the Phoenix strive to confirm their playoff berth against reigning champions Sydney FC tomorrow night (9pmNZT).
"We're here to play football, we can't worry about that stuff," the All Whites defender told NZPA.
"We're paid to play football, that's our focus," he said, adding he backed Serepisos to the hilt: "He put his head on the line, he saved New Zealand football in a way.
"If he hadn't have stepped up we would have lost the licence and there wouldn't be a team."
The Phoenix, meanwhile, are keen to deliver their own brand of payback against the opposition that denied them a place in last season's grand final in controversial circumstances.
Chris Payne's blatant handball goal, which set Sydney on course for a 4-2 triumph, still irks a Phoenix side that have not won at Sydney Football Stadium since November 2008.
A draw will be sufficient to lock down the sixth and final playoff spot, but a third consecutive victory is the priority according to another senior player, midfielder Tim Brown.
Although a 1-0 win over Adelaide - and other results last weekend - mean the Phoenix have two opportunities to seal qualification Brown said they were determined to close the deal at the SFS and not rely on Sunday's last home game against lowly North Queensland.
"These games are important for maintaining that consistency of performance leading into the playoffs so we want to play well against Sydney and get a result," he said.
A 1-1 draw at Newcastle on Sunday ended Sydney FC's hopes of back-to-back titles so Brown was unsure how motivated they would be on home ground.
"It's a tricky one isn't it? They'll be hugely disappointed but other things come into play. Guys are playing for contracts and the Asian champions league starts for them pretty soon."
Midfielder Stuart Musialik is one player keen to impress after management withdrew a contract extension at the start of the season.
Although Sydney coach Vitezslav Lavika was non-committal about the 25-year-old's future, Brown was sold on Musialik's attributes saying he posed a greater threat than Alex Brosque, the striker who made an acrimonious departure for Japanese club Shimizu S-Pulse last week.
"Stu's underrated in terms of what he does for that team," Brown said.
"Every time we play against him he's just so difficult to shut down, everything flows through him."
Sydney FC will unveil Brosque's replacement via video link at halftime while on the field Mark Bridge returns up front after a six-week injury lay-off.
A trio of suspensions and a growing casualty list forced Phoenix coach Ricki Herbert to field a makeshift line-up highlighted by 18-year-old central defender James Musa stepping in for suspended captain Andrew Durante.
Temporary NZFC recruits Sean Longmore and Aaron Clapham also arrived today to pad out the bench.
Herbert has emphasised the importance of improving - and maintaining - discipline given the Phoenix has received a dozen yellow cards in their last three games.
Brown, one caution away from a mandatory two-match ban, realised he had to be on his best behaviour.
"I do have to be really careful. The last thing I want to do is miss a playoff game."
