Coach has faith Phoenix will rise

STRIKERS firing blanks. A gloomy playmaker. Lady luck on holiday. Nobody would have been surprised if Wellington Phoenix coach Ernie Merrick’s cheery countenance ended this week.

Yet the Scotsman continues to talk up the potential of his winless team heading into an A- League home fixture against the in-form but weakened Sydney FC today.

Merrick’s goal-shy men are coming off three successive losses but he is pleading with supporters to look deeper than the results.

Twenty shots for one goal against the league- leading Brisbane last weekend was followed by 16 strikes for no reward on Thursday against the defending champion Central Coast Mariners.

Merrick said those statistics, an ebullient playing style and a tough schedule provided reasons to show faith in the ninth-placed side.

‘‘Being miserable doesn’t help anything,’’ he said.

‘‘ The boys are full of enthusiasm and I’d like to think I am. It’s funny because I had a miserable reputation at my previous club ( Melbourne Victory).’’

Merrick conceded last year’s 16-goal striker Jeremy Brockie was waning in confidence after missing sitters in each of the last two games, while Belgian Stein Huysegems’ recent propensity to hit shots straight at goalkeepers has been a head-scratcher.

However, he trusts the quality of the pair and has kept driving at training.

‘‘ The boys tell me that they’ve never practised shooting so much in their lives.’’