Burns keen to regain scoring touch
WELLINGTON: Four seasons ago Nathan Burns scored goals for fun in the ALeague, banged down the door for Socceroos’ Asian Cup selection and had Wellington Phoenix supporters dreaming.
The pacy attacker now finds himself mired in a goal drought and well out of contention for a third appearance at the Asian Cup.
Burns (30) takes solace that the Phoenix is showing glimpses of a revival but he desperately wants to play his part.
After a lean run in Japan for
21⁄2 years, Burns has not bothered the scorers in 22 ALeague games since his return to Wellington midway through last season.
The contrast is stark from a 201415 campaign in which Burns had bagged 10 goals by Christmas and hoisted the Phoenix to the competition lead near season’s end.
His frustration has been evident in seven Phoenix appearances this season but he has impressed coach Mark
Rudan enough to earn a start in the past three, coinciding with its unbeaten run.
Striker Roy Krishna has been finding the net and Sarpreet Singh has schemed dangerously behind the front two.
‘‘I think just from a team perspective I want to get on the score sheet, because I feel like I can be a massive threat too,’’ Burns said.
‘‘If I can get into the form that I am capable of, then it’s a lot scarier for the defence.
Burns has linked well with Krishna and Singh but has lacked conviction when through on goal.
Finding himself in good positions is half the battle, which Burns believes he is nailing for the sixthplaced Phoenix.
‘It’s a different situation to what I’ve been in before but I’m happy with my game and the condition of my body, so I just have to keep shooting and have that belief, and eventually they’ll go in.’’
The Phoenix on Saturday hosts secondbottom Brisbane Roar, which has lost its past three games. — AAP