Phoenix ‘in good shape’ but wary of Brisbane
Mark Rudan knows what to expect from a wounded Brisbane Roar team this weekend.
It was only three weeks ago his side was riding a three-match losing streak and in desperate need of points, which is the prospect facing his Roar counterpart John Aloisi as his side comes to Wellington tonight.
Since then, Rudan’s side has gone on a three-match unbeaten run which has yielded seven points to push the Phoenix into the top six.
But that solid run of form hasn’t left Rudan complacent against a side which appears to be struggling.
‘‘We’ve been there, so we know exactly what that’s like and how that feels,’’ Rudan said.
‘‘I imagine they’ll be hurting after three losses and I’m expecting them to come out and fight for three points, but the focus is again on us.
‘‘We’re in good shape, we’re playing some fantastic football. The confidence and belief is sky-high. The boys are chomping at the bit. We’ll be going right at them and pressing them again.’’
If the Phoenix do win tonight, it will be the first time they’ve won three in a row since they won four on the trot in March, 2015.
Rudan said holding midfielder/ centreback Michal Kopczynski has been ruled out with a hamstring injury. Tom Doyle will be odds-on to take his place at left centre back in the back three.
Brisbane will be without French playmaker Eric Bautheac after he was sent off in their 4-2 loss to Melbourne Victory last weekend.
The topic of a surprising amount of conjecture at yesterday’s training was the decision to move a game from the unavailable Westpac Stadium to Sydney’s Campbelltown Stadium in February.
People should understand the commercial pressures the club is under and what such a move might yield financially, but Rudan preceded his media session by saying he wouldn’t comment on it, which potentially made more of an issue of it.
His case for no comment wasn’t helped by the fact his captain, Andrew Durante, did comment on it moments before Rudan walked out.
‘‘Players kind of stay out of that, it’s not in our power to really effect that,’’ Durante said.
‘‘If they say play in Timbuktu, we go to Timbuktu and play. We just have to deal with it.
‘‘I feel for the fans a bit, for sure. As many games at Westpac would be ideal, we can’t obviously get it here, but I’m sure the fans will be frustrated, but hopefully we can go over there, get the points, come back and all is forgotten.’’
In other news, Rudan has brought in Auckland City midfielder Te Atawhai HudsonWihongi and Team Wellington defender Justin Gulley to train with his squad while the ISPS Handa Premiership takes its ChristmasNew Year break.