Our Staff – Wellington Phoenix Academy

ACADEMY STAFF

Emma Humphries

Academy Technical Director

Emma Humphries

Academy Technical Director

Emma Humphries is one of New Zealand’s leading coaches. She was most recently the head coach for the under-17 Canadian women’s team, while also serving as the national development centre director. Humphries has also spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Liverpool FC in the English Women’s Super League. In her playing career, Emma won 12 caps for the Football Ferns, and was named in the squad for the 2007 World Cup. She took up her role with the Wellington Phoenix at the beginning of 2025. “It’s pretty special to come back and play a role in showing the next generation the pathway that exists at the Phoenix and helping them reach their full potential,” Emma said upon being announced. “I love the art of making youth players realise what they can be, with a clear view of what it takes to make it at a senior professional level.”

Chris Greenacre

Head of Pro Development

Chris Greenacre

Head of Pro Development

As well as leading pro development at the Phoenix academy, Chris Greenacre is the head coach of the men’s reserve team, leading them in the Central and National Leagues. The Englishman made over 450 appearances as a professional footballer, including more than 80 for the Wellington Phoenix across three seasons. He has had numerous off-field roles for the Nix, including two spells as the interim head coach for the first team. His current spell as reserves head coach began in 2021, and he has overseen a number of academy players who have graduated to the first team, including the likes of Finn Surman and Alex Paulsen. Chris has also been the coach of the New Zealand U-20 men’s team since the beginning of 2024.

Josh Neff

Head of Coaching

Josh Neff

Head of Coaching

Josh Neff has coaching experience in three different continents, having spent time in both the United States and Spain before joining the Phoenix academy as head of coaching at the start of 2024. He has extensive experience with Major League soccer academy sides, having been the head coach for FC Cincinnati's U19 academy side, an academy coach at New England Revolution, and a fitness coach for the Chicago Fire. Josh was also assistant and fitness coach for the Chicago Red Stars in the National Women’s Soccer League. While completing his Masters in Talent Identification and Player Development in Spain, he was an intern assistant coach with the Levante UD U19 team.

Brad Bicknell

Head of Player Pathways

Brad Bicknell

Head of Player Pathways

Brad Bicknell is the Head of Player Pathways and U18 men’s head coach at the Phoenix academy, having left his role as director of football at Auckland United to take the role at the beginning of 2024. He had spent 20 years at Auckland United and its foundation club, Three Kings United, in various playing, coaching, and leadership roles. These included being a Junior Development Manager, U23 and U17 head coaching jobs. Brad also holds a Oceania Football Confederation ‘B’ licence.

Luke Tongue

Head of Male Junior Youth Development

Luke Tongue

Head of Male Junior Youth Development

Luke Tongue has a deep understanding of the Wellington Phoenix academy, having come through the system and played for both the Nix reserve side and the first team. He completed a Bachelor of Sports Coaching at the University of Canterbury, and was the head of academy development at Cashmere Technical FC from 2019 to 2023, when he rejoined the Nix. Luke is the first Phoenix academy graduate to return as a full time staff member. In the 2024-25 season, he jointly won academy staff member of the year with Jessica Fuller.

Jessica Fuller

Head of Female Youth Development

Jessica Fuller

Head of Female Youth Development

Jessica Fuller joined the Phoenix in 2023 from Southern Football, where she was the girls and womens’ development officer and coached the Southern United under-18 womens’ team. She received a Master of Science in Sport, Exercise, and Health from the University of Otago, and has her coaching B Licence. Jessica now takes charge of the Nix under-18 womens’ side, and led them to the National Youth League title in 2024. She jointly won the academy staff member of the year award with Luke Tongue for the 2024-25 season, reflecting this triumph.

Ed Harding

Goalkeeper Coach

Ed Harding

Goalkeeper Coach

Ed Harding took up his role as academy goalkeeper coach midway through 2024, having previously been the head of goalkeeping at Welsh top-flight side Newtown AFC. He had previously played at Newtown as a junior, and returned in a coaching capacity after securing his coaching degree at Liverpool John Moores University and gaining a UEFA A licence. In his playing career, Ed spent time with Welshpool, Guilsfield, and Caersws in the Welsh pyramid, and St Helens in English non-league.

Alex Richardson

Head of Performance Analysis

Alex Richardson

Head of Performance Analysis

Alex Richardson has been at the Wellington Phoenix since December 2021, when he joined as an intern performance analyst. He became a full-time academy analyst in 2022, and was appointed Head of Academy Performance Analysis in January 2025. Prior to joining the Nix, Alex was a performance analyst with New Zealand Football and worked with the U17 women’s national team. He has also lectured at the Auckland University of Technology. Richardson is currently the head coach for the U14 boys Phoenix side.

Ben Maunsell

Head of Male Sport Science

Ben Maunsell

Head of Male Sport Science

Ben Maunsell joined the Wellington Phoenix academy from Auckland United at the beginning of 2025, where he was head of strength and conditioning. Previously, he had also been part of the strength and conditioning team as part of the Auckland United academy after completing a Bachelor of Sport and Recreation at Auckland University of Technology. Ben also spent time as an intern assistant sports scientist at Auckland FC in 2024.

Johnny Thompson

Performance Analyst & Data Lead

Johnny Thompson

Performance Analyst & Data Lead

Johnny Thompson began working for the Phoenix as a matchday intern in 2018, and returned to the club in April 2023 as a performance analyst. In January 2025, he became the data lead for the academy. Johnny has also been a video analyst for a number of other teams, including the Samoan men’s national team, Wellington Olympic, and North Wellington. He holds an Oceania Football Confederation ‘C’ coaching licence.

Sam Casey-Popovich

Assistant Performance Analyst

Sam Casey-Popovich

Assistant Performance Analyst

Sam Casey-Popovich has been at the Phoenix as a performance analyst since 2020, beginning as an intern and graduating to a full-time position in February 2022. He studied at Auckland University of Technology, where he received a Bachelor of Sport and Recreation, a master's in Sports and Exercise, and a postgraduate degree in Sports and Exercise. Prior to joining the Phoenix, Sam volunteered as a performance analyst for Waiheke United AFC.

Issy Coombes

Head of Female Sport Science

Issy Coombes

Head of Female Sport Science

Issy Coombes joined the Wellington Phoenix in January 2023 as the lead sports scientist for the female academy, being appointed head of female academy sports science a year later. She holds a Bachelor of Science and a master's in Sport and Exercise Science from Massey University, and is currently working towards her PhD, focusing on menstrual cycle changes in female footballers across a season. Issy worked for New Zealand Football for three years before joining the Phoenix, where she was a sports scientist for both the U17 and U20 women’s national teams. She also represented New Zealand at two U20 and one U17 World Cups, and was named in the senior Football Ferns squad for their European tour in late 2014.

Grayson Harwood

Head of Physiotherapy

Grayson Harwood

Head of Physiotherapy

Grayson Harwood is the Head of Physiotherapy at the Wellington Phoenix academy, having returned at the beginning of 2025 after four years away. He was the head physio for the academy between 2016 and 2020, and most recently worked with Cricket Wellington before coming back to the Nix. He has previously worked with the Wellington Saints, Mount Maunganui Surf Lifesaving Club, and the Wanganui Heartland rugby team. Grayson holds a master's in sports physiotherapy, and degrees in both anatomy and structural biology and physiotherapy.

Raff Moro

Senior Youth Male Sport Scientist

Raff Moro

Senior Youth Male Sport Scientist

After joining the Phoenix academy as an intern strength and conditioning coach in November 2023, Raff Moro graduated into a part-time assistant strength and conditioning coach role. This came after he completed his master's degree in strength and conditioning at the University of Otago. Previously, he had been an intern at Dunedin City Royals as part of their strength and conditioning team.

Dean Allan

Junior Youth Male Sport Scientist

Dean Allan

Junior Youth Male Sport Scientist

Dean Allan joined the Phoenix academy in January 2025 as a strength and conditioning intern, becoming part-time in April. He is the U14 and U15 boys strength and conditioning coach, as well as the assistant for U16 and U18 men’s sides. Before coming to Wellington, Dean completed a Bachelor of Science in exercise and sports science at Otago University, and a postgraduate diploma in physical conditioning at Otago Polytechnic. He also held strength and conditioning internships at Green Island Rugby Club and John McGlashan College.

Ella McMillan

Youth Female Sport Scientist

Ella McMillan

Youth Female Sport Scientist

Ella McMillan recently completed her Bachelor of Sports, Exercise, and Health at Auckland University of Technology, and is combining her sports science role with her fledgling professional football career. Hailing from the Waikato, the centre back signed a two year scholarship deal with the Nix in August 2024, and made her professional debut against Canberra United in January 2024, coming on as a second half substitute. Emma began her off-field role at the start of 2025, after completing a 350 hour placement working in the Phoenix academy setup. “It’s going to be hectic but I’m really looking forward to it,” Ella said after being appointed to the role. “It’ll be good to be able to focus entirely on these two key aspects of my life and help the next generation step into the space that I’m in at the moment. “I know the ins and outs of the club from a player perspective and I’m hoping to be able to use that knowledge to be able to help them become the best players possible.”

Christoph Zintl

Academy Chaplain/Taiparani

Christoph Zintl

Academy Chaplain/Taiparani

Christoph Zintl is one of the three academy chaplains, having been in the volunteer role since 2021. He is currently the Community Ministries manager for the Salvation Army. Christoph has a background in similar positions, having been chaplain at Rimutaka prison and a youth pastor. He won the academy volunteer of the year award for 2024, and the national sports chaplain of the year award in 2023.

Sam Wilkins

Assistant Physiotherapist

Sam Wilkins

Assistant Physiotherapist

Sam Wilkins has been working in the Phoenix academy since September 2024. He graduated from the University of Otago with a degree in physiotherapy, and is currently working on a postgraduate diploma in advance musculoskeletal therapy at the Auckland University of Technology. Sam has worked as a physiotherapist in various organisations around Wellington since 2020.

Kasey Leary

Assistant Physiotherapist

Kasey Leary

Assistant Physiotherapist

Kasey Leary joined the Phoenix academy in September 2024 as an Assistant Physiotherapist. She graduated from Auckland University of Technology in physiotherapy in 2023, and also has qualifications in therapeutic and clinical massage. She has previous experience in sports, having worked with the Ellerslie women’s football team, and players from both the New Zealand Breakers and Wellington Saints basketball teams.

Taylor Noble

Performance Psychologist

Taylor Noble

Performance Psychologist

Taylor Noble has experience in sports psychology, currently working with the Wellington Blaze and Hurricanes Poua in addition to her job as the Wellington Phoenix academy performance psychologist. She is a trained educational psychologist, and holds qualifications in the field including a Master of Educational Psychology and a postgraduate diploma in Educational Psychology.

Tory Schiltgen

ALW Assistant Coach / Analyst & Academy U18's Head Coach

Tory Schiltgen

ALW Assistant Coach / Analyst & Academy U18's Head Coach

Tory Schiltgen joined the Wellington Phoenix academy from Waterside Karori, where she was the women’s head coach. She notably guided the Wharfies to the National League final in 2024, having previously secured back to back top-two finishes in the Central League. Originally from Minnesota, Schiltgen moved to Wellington in 2018 and was the inaugural director of the women’s and girls’ programme at Olé Football Academy and head coach of Western Suburbs women’s Central League team. She led Upper Hutt City’s women’s team prior to joining Waterside Karori, where she was also a director of football. “I’ve always wanted to progress my career forward into a professional setting and the Nix have done so much to move the women’s game forward in a very short amount of time,” Tory said. “I love coaching. I think it’s such an art and the more I learn the more I want to continue getting better, and I’m really looking forward to working with players and staff of this calibre.

Eilish Graves

Operations Manager

Eilish Graves

Operations Manager

Eilish Graves is the operations manager for the Wellington Phoenix academy, having been at the Phoenix in various capacities since March 2021, when she came on board as a community officer. Eilish was also the operations manager for the A-League Women’s team during the 2022-23 season. Before joining the Nix, she worked in communications and finance, and also was a futsal coach, working with the WaiBOP Football Federation and the New Zealand deaf women’s futsal team.

Michelle Judd

Performance Psychologist

Michelle Judd

Performance Psychologist

Michelle Judd joined the Nix in 2025 as a performance psychologist. She has been working in the New Zealand Police since 2020, first as a senior psychologist, then as a principal psychologist in the frontline safety improvement programme. It is her second stint with the police, having left in 2015 to work in Singapore. Previously, Michelle was a consultant with Transport for London and a research consultant at Monash University.

Lewis Bloomfield

Academy Chaplain

Lewis Bloomfield

Academy Chaplain

Lewis Bloomfield joined the team of academy chaplains at the Wellington Phoenix academy in April 2025. He is performing the volunteer role alongside his work as an assistant pastor at Abundant Life Church Wellington.

Justin Raffan

Team Manager

Justin Raffan

Team Manager

Justin Raffan is a team manager for the Wellington Phoenix academy, including for the men’s reserves team. Spending much of his weekends ensuring that multiple academy games run smoothly, he won the academy volunteer of the year award in 2023.

Rhiannon Beck

Team Manager

Rhiannon Beck

Team Manager

Rhiannon Beck is a team manager for the Wellington Phoenix academy, a volunteer role she performs alongside her job as a national registration system officer for New Zealand Football. Previously, she was the competitions manager for Southern Football.

Steven Janes

Team Manager

Steven Janes

Team Manager

Steven Janes is a team manager for the Wellington Phoenix academy, spending his weekends ensuring that multiple games run smoothly. He is part of the volunteer team at the academy who generously give up their time to assist with the functioning of matchdays and team logistics.

ACADEMY STAFF

Emma Humphries

Chris Greenacre

Josh Neff

Brad Bicknell

Luke Tongue

Jessica Fuller

Ed Harding

Alex Richardson

Ben Maunsell

Johnny Thompson

Sam Casey-Popovich

Issy Coombes

Grayson Harwood

Raff Moro

Dean Allan

Ella McMillan

Christoph Zintl

Sam Wilkins

Kasey Leary

Taylor Noble

Tory Schiltgen

Eilish Graves

Michelle Judd

Lewis Bloomfield

Justin Raffan

Rhiannon Beck

Steven Janes

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