FOOTBALL
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Wellington's success so far this season comes as no surprise to me.
For many, however, they were expected to finish in the bottom half of the competition.
And week after week, they have proved their doubters wrong.
It shouldn't be a shock.
Any team coached by Ernie Merrick is always going to be extremely competitive.
He has proven over many seasons with Melbourne Victory what a great leader he is and it's there for all to see in season 2014.
Recruiting guys like Michael McGlinchey, Roly Bonevacia and Nathan Burns - to name but a few- has been masterful.
Following early success, they are brimming with confidence, particularly in the attacking third.
Their attacking skill sees them lead the competition in the "goals for" column.
Perth Glory, Melbourne Victory, Adelaide United and the Phoenix all have firing strikers at the moment and it has been critical to each club's title chase.
To be a title contender, you need a goal scoring presence and at the Phoenix, Nathan Burns and Roy Krishna provide that in spades.
That will be the Wanderers' main concern when we meet them in Wellington on Sunday.
Again, the scheduling gods have been far from kind to us.
After our second long trip overseas, the club will head across the Tasman to face the Phoenix.
It is the exact same trip that we faced after winning the Asian Champions League in Riyadh earlier this year.
The trip is always tough but the extended travel beforehand undoubtedly compounds the journey.
Nevertheless, this is no time to make excuses.
Plain and simple, we need points desperately before the New Year to get our season back on track.
With a packed schedule in February and March, it is vital that the club moves off the bottom of the ladder.
We have two matches up our sleeve on most of our competition rivals but Sunday's clash is still every bit a six-point game.
The boys will be hungry to bounce back from a disappointing Club World Cup and three points should be the ideal tonic.
Asian Cup quality
The Asian Cup squad proves how well the A-League is going right now. With seven of the 23-man squad plying their trade on home soil, the strength of the competition can no longer be questioned.
A huge congratulations to Terry Antonis, Nathan Burns, Eugene Galekovic, Tomi Juric, Matt McKay, Mark Milligan and Matthew Spiranovic.
It's a great reward for their stellar starts to the current campaign and hard work in recent seasons.
From a Wanderers' perspective, Tomi and Matthew have really earned their spots following quality Asian Champions League and A-League performances in the past 12 months.
The tournament is now just around the corner and is a great opportunity for fans to see top international football on their doorstep.
It also presents an interesting time for the A-League as the competition goes into somewhat of a hiatus.
Clubs will go almost a month without playing a competitive fixture in the league.
It is sure to take the wind out of the sails of clubs that are flying at the moment and give others a chance to regroup.
At the Wanderers, we are preparing to spend a large portion of the month in a training camp to keep the fitness levels at a premium.
Until then, from all of us here at the Wanderers, have a happy New Year.