Already the Phoenix have beaten Sydney FC, Adelaide United and Melbourne Victory on the road. Of the title contenders, only the Glory remain their nemesis, which means the forthcoming trip to Perth looms as a grand final dress rehearsal. Don't laugh. On every level on the field, the Phoenix suffer nothing in comparison to their rivals. Off the field it's a different story, and we'll get to that in a moment.

Much of the credit, of course, goes to Ernie Merrick, who continues to prove the folly of ageism when it comes to appointing coaches. A-League clubs focus on potential rather than experience, which has left so many of our older coaches on the scrapheap. Maybe Merrick, at 62, will help change that.

In 18 months he has recruited superbly, evolved his tactics and his style, motivated players who were going through the motions, built a spirit that has kept the bench-warmers happy, and produced a brand of football the envy of the league. Players like Nathan Burns, Roly Bonevacia and Roy Krishna have reignited their careers, emerging players like Michael Boxall and Louis Fenton are making the most of their opportunities, and old stagers like Andrew Durante, Ben Sigmund and Glen Moss are in career-best form.

Merrick doesn't just want to build a team, however. He wants to build a club. Finally the Phoenix have a reserve team in the NZ national league, while the academy is bedding down. These are important signs of progress.

All this is being achieved against a backdrop of uncertainty about the club's membership of the A-League. Officially, the Phoenix licence runs out at the end of next season. Unofficially, it seems they will be granted an extension. Last week Merrick signed a new three-year contract to take him up to 2018. There's a hint if ever there was one.