Wellington Following the unexpected exit of vice captain Chloe Knott, Phoenix captain Annalie Longo has refuted reports that the A-League women’s team is experiencing cultural problems.
Knott abruptly left the team last week, stating that his values no longer aligned with the club or current management. He took to social media to express his concerns about his pay.
“It is important for me to be in an environment that prioritises honesty, authenticity, and a genuine care for every individual and their development on and off the field,” Knott stated.
Longo expressed her surprise upon reading Knott’s explanation for quitting the Phoenix, a team for which the seasoned midfield player had appeared in every match since the team’s founding in 2021.
“First I look at myself and what I do in leading the group this season and the group around me and it’s never nice to read those things on social media,” Longo stated.
“So for us it is first that reflection piece and looking internally, what can we change, are things right, can we do things differently and the one thing I will say about [Knott’s] comment is we’ll always fight for more and I appreciate what Chloe has done in coming out and being brave and fighting for more and that’s what we want.”
Longo claimed the two had not discussed it prior to Knott’s departure and that she was unaware of the severity of Knott’s worries.
“She was excellent on Saturday in what turned out to be her final game, and we had no idea. There had been a few remarks, and we had conversations during the preseason, but I felt like we’d managed to work things out and that we were connected.”
It pleases me that she had a good football and Phoenix finish.
As a leader, Longo acknowledged that handling Knott’s exit had been difficult.
“The most important thing for me is making sure our culture and connection is there and I want people to feel valued and part of the group and they have a voice and I want us to fight for equality … so for me it is making sure voices are heard that we come together and that we unite and then put that performance out on to the field because that’s the most important part.
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According to Longo, the team this season was closer off the field than it had been in prior campaigns.
The goal of Knott’s exit was to start a “conversation about the experience that professional footballers are having at their clubs.”
“I hope that this can be a catalyst for systemic cultural change within the club and particularly the women’s game,” Knott stated.
The third-place Phoenix’s next test is on Sunday in Wellington when they take on Melbourne Victory.
