Ifill has only managed a brief substitute's appearance in last season's finals since injuring his leg against the Newcastle Jets in December last year.

The former Crystal Palace, Sheffield United and Millwall man is facing almost four more months of waiting as the new A-League season does not kick off until early October.

"I've never done this (length of pre-season) before. I think we're all finding it a bit strange," the star striker said.

"A lot of clubs have been in six weeks already. I can't imagine that. Hopefully we'll time it right and come into the season ready to go and flying.

"It's not the ideal situation and hopefully it's not going to be done again."

Herbert however, feels it may be a blessing in disguise for All Whites Mark Paston, Tim Brown, Ben Sigmund, Tony Lochhead and Leo Bertos.

They have had a heavy workload during the past three years as they've juggled A-League commitments with the All Whites Confederations Cup campaigns and qualifying for then playing at the World Cup in South Africa.

That workload appears to have taken its toll on Bertos and Lochhead in particular. Both are training separately from their Phoenix team-mates at present as they rehabilitate injuries that ruled them out of the All Whites' games against Mexico and Australia earlier this month.

Bertos (pubic bone) is expected to resume training next week but Lochhead (groin) is still some weeks away from rejoining his team-mates.

But at this stage Herbert is not unduly concerned and is happy just to get his other players – including new signings Lucas Pantelis and Jimmy Downey - ticking over before the hard graft begins on July 1.

"These two weeks are just going to be around football and getting the ball back at the feet and getting the smiles back on the faces," the coach said.

"We'll formally go into a programme on July 1 and we'll work our way to October. In some respects it's probably done the New Zealand players a world of good because they've had so much football over the last three years.

"But the others are probably itching and wanting to get into it."

Herbert only has 14 players on his books at the moment and is looking for a goalkeeper, striker and attacking midfielder.

He also needs to sign the required three Under-20 players with a fullback, central defender and midfielder on his shopping list and hopes to complete his recruitment by the end of August.

"If we go into the European market they won't finish or come out of contract until the end of June anyway. If you're negotiating that will take another month or longer so if we gave ourselves until the end of August," Herbert said.

"I probably want to play more (games) this pre-season so we'll have more activity around that and we'll bring more people in to have a look at. Not so much on confirming contracts but bringing them in to see what they can do."

Former North Queensland defender Jack Hingert and Adelaide-based Nigerian Saka are currently on month-long trials but have only been in Wellington for the past four days after the volcanic ash cloud disrupted their travel from Australia.

"One of them has had really good A-League experience and I think is a chance. The other one hasn't. They need time and four days isn't long enough but they've got three or four weeks (to show what they're capable of)," he said.