Goalkeeper Alby Kelly-Heald. Photo: AAP / www.photosport.nz
The Phoenix will be without their goalkeeper for the rest of the A-League football season with scans revealing Alby Kelly-Heald needs shoulder surgery.
The young Wellington Phoenix keeper dislocated his shoulder at training earlier this month and didn't travel to Sydney for the round 23 match against the Sky Blues.
An MRI has since revealed a torn labrum in his left shoulder which requires surgery, cutting short his breakout season.
The 20-year-old made eight successive starts from when he made his A-League debut in January and kept two clean sheets.
Kelly-Heald said he was gutted.
"When you start playing you see yourself continuing to play the rest of the season. You don't anticipate any big injuries or anything like this. I'm disappointed I can't finish the season off with the team, but I'll be supporting on the sideline," Kelly-Heald said.
But the young goalkeeper is determined to come back stronger than ever and remains hopeful of returning in time for the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile in September and October.
Head coach Giancarlo Italiano feels for Kelly-Heald and the team.
"I'm disappointed for Alby on a personal note because he's done a lot of hard work to get the number one spot," Italiano said.
"It's also disappointing for the team dynamic because since he's come in he's given us a lot of security. But once he's had surgery he'll be back in no time and it's just a small little bump in his career."
Italiano is confident Josh Oluwayemi and Dublin Boon will step up in Kelly-Heald's absence.
"We saw Joshy step up against Sydney, which was good. He was ready for his opportunity and Dubs will do a good job as an understudy."
