The 34-year-old midfielder will provide the Northern NSW State League side with 19 years of professional experience.

German-born Gumprecht played 51 A-League matches for the Mariners between 2005 and 2008 and had an extensive career in Europe after starting as a junior with Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen in 1992.

He was released at the end of the Mariners' failed Asian Champions League campaign and joined NSW Premier League club Bonnyrigg White Eagles.

Off the pitch he has set up a football academy on the Central Coast and is looking to extend it into eastern Lake Macquarie.

"At the end of the year I'm turning 35, and I'm aiming to play for another two to three years and I'm looking to play for teams where I can build up relationships for a long term, not just three years," he said.

"I want to be in an area where I can do some things behind the scenes as well, so therefore moving up north is the right thing for me, too."

Gumprecht's contract with Phoenix is rumoured to be worth about $1000 a game, but Phoenix president Warren Read laughed off that figure yesterday.

"We've looked at getting him sponsors," Read said.

"I can't say what it [the contract] is, but it's nothing like that."

Gumprecht's signature was sealed by his friendship with Phoenix youth coach Darrel McAllister, who will take over the first-grade reins from Michael Bolch next season.

"We met regarding coaching academies and we got talking about the same thing," McAllister said.

"Andre was keen to set up some coaching academies, so I popped the big question."

McAllister said he had big plans for Gumprecht in his midfield.

"Andre's best work has been in the midfield, that's where he sees as his best spot, and that's where we want to build a squad around him.

"He has contacts himself, but we've re-signed a lot of our senior guys and so the side is taking shape nicely. It's a matter of finalising several spots and we're looking OK."

The club has re-signed senior players Chris Gazzard, Matt Pratt, Clayton Poole, Chris Bowling and Matt Parker as well as promising teenagers Nathan Conglaves and Daniel Velich.

Negotiations are continuing with Swan twins Matthew and Andrew, David Hodgson and Shane Paul.

Kyle Hodges, Matt Tull and Daniel Ciarrocchi will be joining Bolch at Hamilton.