The Phoenix men's team is still to confirm their departure date for Australia for the new A-League season.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The side had planned to leave in two weeks (29th), but with New South Wales still to open their borders there is uncertainty as to what quarantine the Phoenix may have to do on entry.
Coach Ufuk Talay says they had hoped that no quarantine would be required.
"It might be straight in, it might be seven days, even seven days is better than 14 days.
"We've done quarantine so many times, even though the environment is where we can still train I realy don't want to have to put the players through that again."
Talay says the club is looking at basing the team at Chatswood in Northern Sydney.
The Phoenix were based in Wollongong last season, but it is understood the side found it less than ideal.
Talay is still to confirm a captain following the retirement of Steven Taylor last month.
Talay and Taylor Photo: PHOTOSPORT
"Still thinking about that, it will also depend on how we go in pre-season and who wants to step up and the opportunity is there for a player to step up."
"We need a leader by example, Tails (Steven Taylor) was good in the changing room, he spoke with a lot of players, so for me its someone who is going to step up and who you can rely on week in and week out to be able to perform as well.
"We'll make that decision in the next couple of weeks."
Talay will take a number of academy players with him, while he still has two players in Melbourne and one in Italy.
"It woud be nice to have the whole squad together, but it is what it is."
He is hoping to have two visa (foreign) players signed in the January transfer window, a central defender and a number ten.
The Phoenix have pre-season games every weekend until they leave with their first A-League game against Macarthur FC in Campbeltown on November 21st.
