{"id":324199,"date":"2025-01-12T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-01-11T19:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wellingtonphoenix.com\/?p=324199"},"modified":"2025-01-11T23:13:38","modified_gmt":"2025-01-11T10:13:38","slug":"van-hattum-to-take-up-an-opportunity-in-ireland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wellingtonphoenix.com\/news\/van-hattum-to-take-up-an-opportunity-in-ireland\/","title":{"rendered":"Van Hattum to take up an opportunity in Ireland"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Wellington Phoenix have released Oskar van Hattum from the remainder of his contract so he can further his professional career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The young forward has signed with Sligo Rovers to play in the 2025 League of Ireland premier division, ending his eight year affiliation with the Phoenix which started when he left New Plymouth as a 14-year-old to join the club\u2019s academy.

Van Hattum, 22, played 41 A-League matches for the Nix over three and a half seasons.

He was limited to four appearances this season after making\u00a0 17 during the team\u2019s record-breaking 2023-24 campaign, when he scored his first A-League goal and set-up four others.

Phoenix director of football Shaun Gill says it made sense to release van Hattum from the final six months of his contract.

\u201cFollowing ongoing discussions with OVH about his playing future at the club, we agreed that it was best for him to pursue this opportunity,\u201d Gill said.

\u201cWe look forward to following him at Sligo Rovers and we hope to see another of our academy graduates kick on with his professional career.

\u201cOVH\u2019s departure also creates further opportunities over the back half of this season for the next wave of academy grads.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND – MARCH 03: Oskar van Hattum of the Wellington Phoenix celebrates scoring during the A-League Men round 19 match between Wellington Phoenix and Adelaide United at Sky Stadium, on March 03, 2024, in Wellington, New Zealand. (Photo by Mark Tantrum\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Oskar van Hattum, who made his debut for the All Whites last year and featured in all three of New Zealand\u2019s group matches at the Paris Olympics, has mixed feelings about his move.

\u201cIt\u2019s really, really difficult to put into words all of the emotions that are coming through because ever since I knew what football was I\u2019ve been a Wellington Phoenix fan,\u201d van Hattum said.

\u201cI feel really lucky and privileged to be able to say I was a Wellington Phoenix player for eight years.

\u201cI\u2019ve been here for over a third of my life so I\u2019m stepping away from home, all of the amazing people I\u2019ve worked with and all of the teammates that have helped me get to where I am.

\u201cIt\u2019s sad to finally be making the decision to leave but at the same time there\u2019s a certain level of excitement jumping into what I would almost consider an unknown, considering how inaccessible the Irish league is in New Zealand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – DECEMBER 29: Oskar van Hattum of the Phoenix controls the ball during the A-League Men round 10 match between Sydney FC and Wellington Phoenix at Allianz Stadium, on December 29, 2023, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Brett Hemmings\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd I think that\u2019s what\u2019s exciting about this move to have new surroundings, new faces and new opportunities.

\u201cIt\u2019s also best for my career going forward to go and get gametime. The more minutes I get the more I\u2019m able to show what I\u2019m able to do.

\u201cIt\u2019s time for a new challenge and I\u2019m really looking forward to it.\u201d

Van Hattum has thanked everyone at the Phoenix who have played a role in his development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND – FEBRUARY 15: Oskar Van Hattum looks on during a Wellington Phoenix Training Session at NZCIS on February 15, 2024 in Wellington, New Zealand. (Photo by Hagen Hopkins\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhether it\u2019s people who\u2019ve come and gone from 2017, all my coaches and teammates I\u2019ve had, and of course the fans.

\u201cI appreciate every last one of them and what they\u2019ve done for me.

\u201cI\u2019m going to miss everybody but also at the same time hopefully it\u2019s not a goodbye, it\u2019s a see ya later.

\u201cWellington has been my home for eight years and it is a really, really nice place to live and I do want to come back and live here in the future so I would love to get the opportunity to put the yellow and black on again.\u201d

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