Rufer adjusting to change of scenery
Wellington Phoenix midfielder Alex Rufer has been feeling the heat during his first A-league pre-season in Australia.
On the morning of the first day of summer, Metservice said it felt like 7 degrees inwellington. But over in Wollongong, where the Phoenix have set up camp for 2020-21, the temperatures have been hitting the high 30s.
Rufer, who has spent his entire professional career with the Phoenix, said it was a ‘‘shock to the system’’ when the players first reported for preseason training in the sweltering heat.
‘‘The high 30s, we’re not used to that in Wellington,’’ Rufer said. ‘‘It’s been tough. Pre-season is always tough but that difference in the weather makes a massive difference.
‘‘But I think it’s good for us to prepare in this [weather] because we’re going to be playing in this type of weather and the best preparation for that is to train in it.
‘‘Hydration is a massive key and we have good breaks to hydrate and catch a breath when need be. But the pre-season is always tough and to be fair this has probably been one of the toughest pre-season because of that.’’
The intense heat is just one of the many challenges that the Phoenix must overcome after relocating to Australia due to the travel restrictions in place to stop the spread of Covid-19 in New Zealand.
Despite being away from friends and family, Rufer said he had enjoyed his time on the other side of the ditch so far – the experience giving him a small taste of what it would be like to play overseas.
‘‘It’s a way of looking at it and that’s what my brother said to me when I left. He said it’ll be a good opportunity.
‘‘Although you’re still with the Phoenix it feels like you’re playing as a foreigner in the A-league and it gives some players a bit of a taste of what it would be like.
‘‘It’s been really enjoyable so far. Wollongong is nice. It’s small and everything is close so it’s easy to get around, easy to manage and there’s some nice beaches.’’
Entering his eighth season with the Phoenix, Rufer said he wasmotivated to reclaim a place in coach Ufuk Talay’s starting XI after an injury-disrupted 2019-20 campaign saw him fall behind German importmatti Steinmann and Aussie tyro Cameron Devlin in the pecking order.
Rufer ended up making just 11 starts, 13 fewer than the previous season, but Steinmann’s departure should see the 24-year-old partner Devlin in their first game against Brisbane Roar on December 29.
Rufer and Devlin have been selected ahead of returning midfielder Matthew Ridenton in each of the Phoenix’s first four pre-season friendlies, including Sunday’s 2-0 win over Central Coastmariners.
‘‘All you have to do is what you can control, and that’s working hard,’’ Rufer said. ‘‘I see myself as a starting player and I want to be playing so I can give my best for the team because I believe I can help the team in every game.’’