Phoenix coach Mark Rudan blasts state of football in NZ
Wellington Phoenix coach Mark Rudan has launched a blistering attack on the state of New Zealand football, saying that feuding between top administrators and lack of investment is holding back the sport.
Rudan says that needs to change — and quickly — for the game to progress, and hopes a godfather-type figure will emerge to drive the changes required.
The Australian’s outburst came in the wake of the Phoenix’s 1-1 draw with Melbourne Victory at Eden Park on Friday night, played in front of a bumper crowd of 23,648, a record for a Nix non-finals match.
While disappointed with his team’s performance, which he rated at only “70 per cent”, Rudan was thrilled by the fan turnout.
But a question about the overall direction of the sport here seemed to touch a nerve. After lamenting the negativity and cynicism that can exist in football circles, the 43-year-old took aim at administrators — and didn’t miss.
His frustration centred on the lack of foresight of those charged with running the sport, as well as the often fractured relationship between key stakeholders in this country, specifically the Phoenix and New Zealand Football.
“The people up top have to get their house in order,” said Rudan. “That’s got to change. And the sooner, the better. I don’t know how that is going to happen but I have asked for a meeting with those guys, to try to bring the two together.
“The only professional football club and the federation [need to] forget about all these scenarios where everyone is worried about themselves. Worry about the game. The game is the most important thing, at the forefront of everything.
“Until people start taking away their selfishness and understanding it is about the game and how do we move the game forward, only then will you start to reach greater heights.”
The Phoenix and the NZF have often had a strange, strained relationship. It reached its nadir during the Andy Martin era, as the former chief executive never seemed to truly understand the importance of the Phoenix to the sport here, and incidents such as the Alex Jones transfer fiasco did a lot of damage. There has been progress in the past six months but is still a way to go.
Rudan wears his heart on his sleeve, and was clearly tired and emotional off the back of a demanding schedule of games as well as constant questions about his future. His tirade may also have been an attempt to deflect some focus from his team, who, while still on track for the playoffs, have won just one of their last five matches.
But Rudan also appears to have seen enough after nine months in this country to know that things can be a lot better.
“I don’t speak to the federation or the people at the federation — there are a couple of people I have spoken to — but they know where they stand,” said Rudan. “The people that preside [over] that organisation need to really think about the game, and the players.
“There are some damn good footballers, not just playing in this country but overseas as well, who deserve a lot better.”
According to Rudan, the sport needs a visionary to flick the switch, fiscally and in a football sense.
“Someone in this country has an opportunity to be a flag bearer, or to be the godfather of football,” said Rudan. “You need investment. It’s no different to Australia.
“We certainly as a football club have a vision, I certainly do, about the game going forward, and if we can work together, who knows how far the game can go here? But someone has to take the bull by the horns and say ‘I am going to do this’.
“Who wants to step up? I don’t know. But there are some good people here that want to improve the game. Damn good people and the game deserves to be improved in this country.”
Worry about the game. The game is the most important thing, at the forefront of everything. Phoenix coach Mark Rudan