Coach tries to help Burns find his mojo
phillip.rollo@stuff.co.nz
One of Mark Rudan’s first acts as Wellington Phoenix coach was to take Nathan Burns out for a coffee.
The best player in the A-League at the peak of his powers, Burns scored 13 goals during a spectacular 2014-15 season with the Phoenix.
That sublime form deservedly earned the 30-year-old the Johnny Warren Medal, a Socceroos recall and a lucrative move to J-League club Tokyo FC.
When Burns returned to Wellington midway through the 2017-18 season, there was not just hope, but an expectation, that he would be able to reproduce that magical spell and spark a playoff run.
Instead, he went 12 games without a goal as the Phoenix slumped to a ninth-place finish, 14 points below the playoff line.
So when Rudan accepted the job as Phoenix coach, he made it a priority to meet the club’s fading star. He took him out for coffee on his first day in the job and said ‘‘a lot’’ has gone on behind the scenes ever since in an attempt to rediscover the player’s mojo.
‘‘We build him up with a lot of confidence and the players, we show them a lot of actions that they’ve created in their careers of positive note.’’
Rudan said Nathan had been a very good leader for the environment they were trying to create for the Phoenix.
‘‘He was really important and integral to everything we have achieved and are doing. He is still a fantastic leader in the dressing room.’’
Sadly though, Burns is a shadow of his former self and he is running out of chances to prove he can still A-League, round 16 Westpac Stadium, Wellington, today 7.35pm Phoenix $2.37, City $2.75, Draw $3.50
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make an impact in the A-League.
Burns, whose previous appearance was a four-minute burst off the bench in round 10, was a surprise starter in Wednesday’s 1-0 defeat to Sydney FC.
He took zero shots, created zero goalscoring chances and made fewer touches (25) in 54 minutes than the player who eventually replaced him, Sarpreet Singh (32).
He has now gone 2882 minutes without scoring and faces the axe for today’s match against Melbourne City, with Rudan confirming further changes would be made in the ‘‘middle to attacking third’’ for the team’s third match in seven days.
‘‘Nathan Burns continues to be an important member, like all of them, for this squad. No-one has been ruled out at all.
‘‘He got a chance, an opportunity, and in terms of the job requirements and the skill sets required, we thought he could have done more and I’m sure he thinks the same, and he does think the same.
‘‘But as I said, he remains a very important member still.’’
After suffering their first defeat in 10 games, Rudan said he expected his players to bounce back against City, who sit fourth place on the ladder.
‘‘The boys are hungry. My message to them was very positive. However, it was a loss and we need to turn it around. I’m looking for a reaction, I’ll expect a reaction and I’ll get a reaction, a positive one, tomorrow.’’