\u201cFrom when I first saw Xuan to now there\u2019s been a drastic improvement,\u201d Italiano said. \u201cGreeny has obviously done a good job with him at the academy and got him up to a really good standard.
\u201cSince he\u2019s been in the first team environment he\u2019s shown he\u2019s very dedicated and has great focus.
\u201cXuan took a couple of knocks at training but has shown a lot of resilience and bounced back straight away.
\u201cHe can play fullback or as a wingback, but he\u2019s the sort of player you sign in one position but because they work hard they can apply themselves in another couple of positions.
\u201cXuan\u2019s got a really good mindset so I\u2019m really looking forward to working with him over the next couple of years.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/wellingtonphoenix.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/11\/2024\/12\/Xuan-Loke.jpg?w=1200\")
Xuan Loke is originally from Dunedin and played for Green Island and Dunedin Technical (now Dunedin City Royals) before moving to Wellington as a 12-year-old to join the Ol\u00e9 Football Academy. Loke also gives a lot of credit to his father Kin, who left his life in Dunedin and moved to Wellington to help further his son\u2019s football career.
He moved to the Phoenix academy at the start of 2022 and made his debut for the Phoenix reserves last year.
\u201cThe past two years with Chris Greenacre and Luke Tongue (reserves assistant coach) has been absolutely amazing,\u201d Loke said. \u201cI\u2019ve grown so much as a person and a player and I owe a lot to them for my development.
\u201cThey\u2019re not only great coaches, they\u2019re great people as well. They\u2019ve also helped me through personal challenges.
\u201cI give them a lot of credit for the position I\u2019m in now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/wellingtonphoenix.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/11\/2024\/12\/GettyImages-2179697300.jpg?w=1200\")
\u201cMy dad\u2019s been amazing. He\u2019s been my biggest supporter and biggest influence in my life.
\u201cIt was a big move for us. He left his job and his friends. For him to make that sacrifice for me; I wouldn\u2019t be here without him.\u201d
They made the move just two months after Loke\u2019s mother passed away from breast cancer.
\u201cIt was the biggest challenge of my life.
\u201cMy dad and I have grown together through that, which has been great.
\u201cI owe a lot to him and all I want to say is thank you.\u201d
Xuan Loke is the 12th<\/sup> Phoenix academy graduate in the now 27-strong men\u2019s first team squad.
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