Oluwayemi, 23, has quickly made the no. 1 jersey his own since arriving in Wellington on a one-year contract at the start of September, and he ensured the Nix kept a clean sheet in their second round match against Perth on Saturday night.
Phoenix head coach Giancarlo Italiano says it\u2019s a good piece of business by the club.
\u201cWe see huge potential upside with Josh and want to invest in him along with Alby Kelly-Heald and Dublin Boon, the other two \u2018keepers we have here,\u201d Italiano said.
\u201cIn the short time that Josh has been part of the group he\u2019s shown progression every week.
\u201cHe\u2019s very comfortable with the ball at his feet, is a good shot stopper and he\u2019s really dominant in his area.
\u201cI think he has the potential to get a move back overseas. The idea is for him to do well and build around him.
\u201cIt also gives a little bit more time for Alby to find his feet and allow him to develop as well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/wellingtonphoenix.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/11\/2024\/10\/GettyImages-2179679728.jpg?w=1200\")
Josh Oluwayemi is \u201cabsolutely buzzing\u201d to re-sign with the Wellington Phoenix. \u201cIn terms of the lifestyle, the people and the environment in the club it\u2019s very positive and refreshing. Josh Oluwayemi\u2019s next game for the club is Saturday\u2019s inaugural New Zealand derby against Auckland FC at Sky Stadium.
\u201cI\u2019m excited to sign on for an extra year and I look forward to playing in front of the fans and meeting more people in the city,\u201d Oluwayemi said.
\u201cI\u2019m absolutely delighted that the coach and the backroom staff have seen something in me and shown faith in me.
\u201cI hope to repay the club, and the people involved in it.\u201d
He has relished his time with the Phoenix, which has been a welcome change from his previous experiences in the U.K. and Finland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/wellingtonphoenix.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/11\/2024\/10\/GettyImages-2181140819.jpg?w=1200\")
\u201cI feel like the people are a lot calmer and the vibe is a lot more chill over here.
\u201cIn terms of the way the club accommodates players and brings people in, especially within the dressing room and within the team, it\u2019s one of the best that I\u2019ve been around.\u201d
Oluwayemi is content with his performances in his first two competitive appearances for the Nix, but knows he can get better.
\u201cThere are some good bits and some bits that I want to work at. I\u2019m always working with Ruben Parker (goalkeeper coach) finding bits to plug away at and improve as I want to get as close to perfection as possible.
\u201cI feel like my performances have been steady and I feel like there\u2019s still more to give and more to show.
\u201cIt\u2019ll come over time and people will be able to see what I\u2019m about after a longer collection of games.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/wellingtonphoenix.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/11\/2024\/10\/GettyImages-2179678172.jpg?w=1200\")
\u201cDerbies, the media around certain games and the narratives are exactly what you get into football for and what gets you out of bed.
\u201cI\u2019m absolutely buzzing, and I can\u2019t wait to play in that game and to be part of the first ever professional New Zealand derby.
\u201cIt\u2019s something big that I will remember for the rest of my life.\u201d
You can get tickets to the match here<\/a>.
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