Small in stature but Nix signing is a ‘massive fit’

At 1.47m, Michaela Robertson is set to be the smallest player in the A-League Women this season. But her signing is a big deal for Wellington Phoenix.

Not only is the fringe Football Fern the first player from Wellington to sign for the Phoenix women’s team, she was also the first female to join the club’s academy on a fulltime basis. The 26-year-old forward linked up with the Phoenix academy two years ago.

With no women’s team to play for at the time, Robertson trained with the boys. ‘‘Wellington’s home forme so I’m excited about playing in front of my family and friendswhere my football started,’’ Robertson said.

‘‘I’m really looking forward to my first pro season. Everything seemed to line up and there’s something about stepping into a rolewhen it feels the timing is right.

‘‘Training with the boys has been challenging. Obviously, they bring another level of physicality and pace which is something I tried to match and give them a good run for their money. But I think it’s helpedme developmy game, with the quickthinking and decision-making that’s required on the field.

‘‘Also not being the tallest player I’ve needed to be strong and be able to hold the ball up and compete at that on Michaela Robertson, right physical element of the game.

‘‘It’s been something that I’ve had to develop over the years, but I think that’s been beneficial being at the academy surrounded by guys that are a lot stronger and a lot taller and bigger than me.’’

The former Wellington United and

‘‘Playing with and against boys every single week is tough, but she’s done it because of the level of football she wants to play at.’’ Wellington Phoenix coach Natalie Lawrence, left,

Capital standout is the first signing new coach Natalie Lawrence has made since she took over from Gemma Lewis and the 15th overall heading into 2022-23 season.

Although she is from Wellington and considers herself a ‘‘fully fledged Kiwi’’, Robertson qualifies for one of the five permitted Australian spots on the Phoenix roster as hermum was born across the Tasman.

‘‘She’s done the hard yards and really stuck at it,’’ said Lawrence, who previously coached Robertson in the NationalWomen’s League. ‘‘Playing with and against boys every single week is tough, but she’s done it because of the level of football she wants to play at.

‘‘She’s quick, she’s smart, she has an eye for goal, she has great experience and I know what I’ll get from her. She’s a massive fit for how we want to attack and our attacking threat this season.’’

Strong performances for Capital in the National Women’s League have seen Robertson called up to the Football Ferns three times in the past, but she is still yet to play an international game for New Zealand.

After taking a break from football following the Tokyo Olympics, Robertson said she had returned with renewed hunger to stake a claim for a spot in Jitka Klimkova’s squad for next year’s Women’sWorld Cup.

A season with the Phoenix in the A-League should give her a better shot.

Meanwhile, the Phoenix have made two notable appointments to their backroom staff with Callum Holmes coming on board as an assistant coach and Maia Vink joining as the team’s analyst.

Both Holmes and Vink previously worked with Lawrence at Capital Football.