Pre-season. A time of high excitement for football fans. New signings have been made and meshed into the squad. The hard work has been done in the gym and on the roads. 

Finishing touches are being put on tactics and formations. The meaningless friendlies are over and the season proper is just around the corner, full of possibilities.

It's one of the best times of the year.

Unfortunately for Phoenix fans, none of these emotions and feelings have been felt in 2011. Pre-season has just been one long worry-fest.

There's no need for me to lay out the facts.  Everyone knows the story and the issues. And just about everyone knows what should have happened by now.

We were told today would be D-Day.  A day when a decision would be made one way or another on the future ownership of the club.

Instead, discussions are "continuing" with an announcement to come "in due course".

But to be brutally honest, it now doesn't matter who owns the club when the season kicks off in less than three weeks.

The harsh reality is Phoenix's preparation could hardly have been worse and that won't change regardless of who the owner is.

The horse has bolted.

The club has been completely hamstrung by an inability to invest.

Three players are still needed to complete the roster.  These will now be whoever they can get, rather than who they actually want.  And any chance to effectively integrate these players (whoever they turn out to be) will have been lost.

Goodness only knows what the players are thinking.  Like everyone else, they've watched as the other teams have vigorously recruited during the off-season, played games together and stirred optimism in the minds of their fan bases.

Kewell is coming to Victory. Emerton is coming to Sydney. Smeltz and Perth are genuine contenders.  Former Phoenix favourite McKain is back in the A-League at Adelaide. Brisbane think they'll be even better than last year. The Mariners will always be very good. 

And what have Phoenix fans (and players) had to put up with?

An utterly miserable six months, racked with headlines of completely the wrong type.

It's just so frustrating and demoralising because this football club could be so much more if only it could be properly resourced.

It could again reach the heights of 2009/10 when Phoenix came within a game of the Grand Final.

But not if things carry on like this.

The first choice Phoenix XI isn't too bad. In fact, it's very competitive.

But it could have been so much more if money had been available to spend on players who could have taken Phoenix to the next level and allowed them to mount a challenge in what's shaping to be the most competitive A-League season yet.

And an A-League title isn't won by 11 players. The playoffs aren't even realistic without a squad deep enough for every member to make worthwhile and valuable contributions when required.

We don't even know who numbers 18, 19 and 20 on the Phoenix roster will be, let alone whether they can add anything to the side.

So here we are, 19 short days from kick-off, and we're well past the point of no return.

Phoenix are what they are, and that won't change before the season starts.

It might change in the coming months if cash can be injected, hopefully sooner rather than later.

But in the meantime, there's nothing for it but to get this thing started.

And to be honest, actually watching some A-League football will be a nice distraction after a wretched off-season.