Rudan pleased but cautious
Mark Rudan is happy things are coming together for his side but acknowledges there is still a long way to go.
The Wellington Phoenix coach presided over one of the Wellington Phoenix’s best performances in recent memory as they dominated defending premiers Sydney FC on Saturday night at Jubilee Stadium in Sydney.
Roy Krishna bagged a first-half brace, while Steven Taylor scored the Phoenix’s third before halftime as they pressed the life out of Sydney.
Sydney came back into the game after halftime, but never looked like mounting a meaningful comeback against the Phoenix’s resolute defence.
Rudan said that it was pleasing to have seen his side implement the gameplan as well as it did.
‘‘A lot of planning and preparation [went] into this game. We wanted to press them high, you saw both of Roy’s goals were exactly the same.
‘‘We worked on the training pitch to open them up the same way, that’s where I’m most pleased.’’
Rudan felt Sydney may have underestimated them after playing them in preseason.
That match saw them sit off Sydney as they worked on their defensive structure, but Saturday’s match saw the Phoenix press high up the field for the second match in a row after also pushing league leaders Perth Glory in a 1-1 draw the week before.
These two performances came after a run of three losses on the trot which had led to questions being asked about Rudan and his approach.
‘‘People were talking about what we were doing at the start of the season, but there was always a plan as far as I was concerned,’’ Rudan said.
‘‘We continue to develop as a football team. It was good on the back of last week’s performance that we were able to get a result on the back of today’s performance. That’s going to be pleasing for the players and certainly give them a lot of confidence.’’
Rudan said the last two weeks had been a turning point for his side as he saw increased belief from his players in their approach.
But he did urge caution, saying it was still very early in the season to be getting too carried away.
‘‘You don’t always see the results early on, but it’s still very early, it’s only round seven. There’s 20 games to go, a lot of things can happen.
‘‘The challenge for our players in consistency. We’ve been up and down as well. We certainly don’t want to be an inconsistent team, but belief is the big one for them.’’
Rudan will be sweating on the fitness of Krishna, who was subbed off midway through the second half with a hamstring injury.
Left wing back Liberato Cacace also succumbed to a hip injury later in the half, but that was said to be a pre-existing injury which had just flared up.
Both will hope to be fit enough to line up against the Central Coast Mariners at home next Saturday.
The Mariners are winless and bottom, while the Phoenix moved to seventh with their win on Saturday.