Young Nix goalkeeper needs shoulder surgery
- Dave Worsley
- Mar 25
- 2 min read
Wellington Phoenix goalkeeper Alby Kelly-Heald will miss the remainder of the 2024-25 A-League season after a shoulder dislocation.
An MRI has since revealed a torn labrum in his left shoulder which requires surgery, cutting short his breakout season.
LATEST HEADLINES:
Kelly-Heald, 20, made eight successive starts from when he made his A-League debut in January and kept two clean sheets.
“Obviously I’m very gutted,” Kelly-Heald said. “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 is determined “to come back fitter and stronger” and remains hopeful of returning in time for the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile in September and October.
“If everything goes perfectly, there are no hiccups and we can get everything done really quickly I think there is a chance.
“It’s obviously not a high chance, but I think there’s still a slither.
“The rehab process now is strengthening it up until I get surgery and then post-surgery I’ll be looking at something around six months or so. I’ll be aiming for a bit quicker.
“Hopefully it's not too tough on the mind as well as it is physically.”
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 also has faith in Josh Oluwayemi and Dublin Boon to 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.”