First it was the owner, now it's the chief executive - the Wellington Phoenix are experiencing another change at the top.
Nathan Greenham, chief executive of the A-League club for the last 18 months, announced today he is quitting his role, three months after the departure of former owner Terry Serepisos.
While Serepisos' exit came as a shock to no one, Greenham's resignation is much more unexpected, but both share a financial theme.
Greenham said he has been unable to reach a deal on a new contract with the Welnix consortium which took over the Phoenix from a bankrupt Serepisos.
"I've been negotiating with the chairman to extend my contract, but we just couldn't agree terms.'' Greenham said. "It simply came back to the terms as far as remuneration goes.''
The group of nine businessmen who form Welnix, led by Kiwibank chairman Rob Morrison, hold a wealth of business acumen but their personal wealth has yet to filter through to the club.
With a thin squad causing the Phoenix problems through the early stages of this season, and no fulltime goalkeeping coach hired to replace Jonathan Gould, Welnix has faced criticism for not providing the club with immediate investment.
Greenham assured fans Welnix know what they're doing, even if the two sides couldn't see eye-to-eye at the negotiating table.
"We've got some pretty hefty guys as far as corporate and business power goes in Wellington and across the country,'' he said. "So I have no doubt they have a plan.
"It's only very recent news so I'm not aware of the plans that they have in terms of beefing up that back office.''
Greenham has been at the Phoenix since the club's inception in 2007, taking over as chief executive when Tony Pignata returned to Australia in June 2010, and he said he had mixed emotions about the severing of his relationship with the club.
"It wasn't a difficult conversation or a bad conversation, it was quite straightforward, really. We couldn't agree terms so we decided to part ways.
"I guess there's been a little bit of a knot in the stomach over the last couple of days as I've mulled over this decision.''
With his tenure in charge of the club including the tumultuous Serepisos saga, Greenham compared his run to a rollercoaster ride.
"We've had some unbelievable highs, and certainly the last 12 to 18 months have been a bit of a dip on the rollercoaster. My overall experiences, I'll look back on the last four-and-a-half years with a deep fondness for everything the club's achieved.''
The New Zealander's last day at the club is six weeks away on January 20, a period in which he hopes to help the club enjoy a smooth transition. Greenham said he'll now explore new opportunities, confident something is on the horizon but tight-lipped as to what that may be.
"Now that the decision is made and there's a new chapter for me, I'm excited about what lies around the corner.
"I leave the club with the very best of wishes, I look forward to the day when they can when a premiership, and I'll still be an avid fan.''
