It’s not always easy to figure out what’s going on in the world of football and the Wellington Phoenix can be as perplexing as they come. Right now there’s a new manager overseeing what’ll be basically a new squad in the hope of winning enough games to earn a new licence.

There’s been a very rightful focus on the pathways for kiwi players at the Nix right now and a lot of guys are getting opportunities and not a lot of them are getting contracts. Personally, I disagree with that approach. I understand where Mark Rudan is coming from, wanting total commitment and players with winning attitudes, but I still reckon the club needs to accept a little risk for the benefit of the game in this country. But Rudes has never shied away from what he wants to do with the Nix. He’s in the tricky position of having to be immediately successful and let’s not forget he’s also a first-time coach at this level – he’s learning and challenging himself too.

So in the interests of curiosity, context and empathy, I’m not gonna write another word of opinion about the Nix this week. Instead, presented for you now are a series of quotes directly from Mark Rudan, stemming from interviews and press conferences, where in his usual forthright and honest way he’s laid down a very consistent vision for the Wellington Phoenix this season. It involves getting out of comfort zones. It involves challenging players and himself. It involves belief in the direction of the club and complete commitment in trainings and in games. It involves no excuses.

Mark Rudan, ladies and gents, in his own words…

THE REBUILDING PROCESS

Mark Rudan Official Announcement: I would like to place on record my thanks to the Wellington Phoenix Board for giving me this opportunity. The Phoenix have a reputation for giving young Australian and New Zealand footballers their first starts in the Hyundai A-League and now as a coach I have my first A League coaching opportunity. There is huge potential at the Phoenix, already signed for the squad is a core group of experienced A-League players as well as some of the most exciting young talents in the A-League and we have the funding for some quality visa players ready to go. The club has organised a great off-season with games in Asia and Australia already booked in. I couldn’t be more excited about the season ahead.

Steven Taylor Press Conference: I think I was quite clear in what I wanted to try and achieve with this football club and changing the mentality. The level of professionalism. The ‘no excuses’. We’re going to be taken seriously. Too often in the last few years people I’ve spoken to about this football club, where are they gonna finish, down the bottom somewhere. Never in the top six. Not this year. And if you want to take us easy-beats or a team you can dismiss, good luck. Please do it.

Filip Kurto Press Conference: Every coach inherits a squad, I don’t complain about that. When I profile a player, look at their strengths and weaknesses, I explain to them this is where you’re at and this is where we’re at as a football club and where we’re going.

Michal Kopczynski Press Conference: It doesn’t bother me. The accolades and the good things. At the same time the negative things don’t bother me either, I just have a laugh at that too. What it is good for is for the football club. It’s always nice to know the fans are waiting in earnest for the next season to come. All I can tell you is that myself and everybody at the football club, the staff, are working long hours to get it right.

News.com.au/6 Aug: [Steven Taylor] certainly is huge in what we are trying to create. The environment is changing - and just speaking to him on the phone I could see he was up for the challenge. It certainly isn’t about money. He has been superb, the way he is among his teammates, the respect he has - his energy, professionalism, how he eats and prepares for games. He’s a fantastic pro, and a great guy to have in the dressing room.

Filip Kurto Press Conference: You look at shot-stopping. Coming out for crosses. The way they communicate. Playing with the ball - I know in today’s day and age it’s the in thing. It really isn’t for me one of the highest priorities, I will say that. Keepers wear gloves for a reason, their job is to stop the ball getting in the net. I’d rather someone who does that extremely well rather than having that extra sweeper.

Post-Match vs Bentleigh Greens: Yeah, no I wasn’t as disappointed as you may think I was when we had a good training camp in the Gold Coat, they were under fatigue with double sessions every day. The result perhaps would’ve been a bit disappointing but certainly some of the things that we’ve been working on looked okay. Other stuff didn’t look okay but that’s where we are at the moment, very in terms of our development.

TEAM CULTURE

David Williams and Mitch Nichols Press Conference: Things go against us all the time at this football club, I’ve seen it from afar. So if you’re not going to be ready for free kicks that don’t go your way, if you’re going to complain and be one of those types then you’re not for me. But how do you create an environment where it’s one of no excuses? There are little things you can do on the training pitch. When a player gets a foul, it’s play on. Because you’re not going to get that in a game. We travel a lot as well so we need to be at our peak more than anybody else. Having a two-hour twenty session last Thursday makes them uncomfortable. My staff didn’t even know I was going to train them that long. There’s a lesson learned: don’t assume anything. Again, it’s about challenging them and making sure they’re getting out of their comfort zone because I was testing the ones to see who would break. Who can I trust? Who’s going to continue to do what’s asked of them without any excuses?

Filip Kurto Press Conference: I want to create an environment where all the players are challenged and uncomfortable. Not just the players but also the coaching staff and myself. There’s nothing worse than watching the two [backup] keepers not putting pressure on Filip. I wouldn’t be happy with that. And if that is the case then it’s quite easy for me. There’s an exit door and you can walk out there because I want players who want to be at this football club, want to play every week in the first eleven and to push each other.

News.com.au/6 Aug: It’s not easy to change habits and behaviours when people are set in their ways. But I was clear at the outset what I wanted from individuals and the team. It’s about professionalism - what you eat, how you conduct yourself, your attitude at training, and how you are off the park too. I can’t question them so far, they have bought into it. I’ve explained why we’re doing it, because players need to know why, and the club need to know too. I’ve had buy-in from everyone from day one. Though there is still a lot of improvement to come, obviously.

David Williams and Mitch Nichols Press Conference: Being uncomfortable is getting out of your comfort zone. Both players have touched on that, they wanted the challenge. They’re the players that I want and it starts with me. I’ve got something to prove, I want to be challenged. Every single player I’ve spoken to there needs to be a theme, there needs to be a buy-in. Some players don’t come because of that reason. We don’t have all the money in the world. I don’t want players for the wrong reason.

Training Camp Announcement/27 July: These intense training camps are where you really learn about your players. I will see who will stand up and show me they’re willing to go that extra distance for the team. Those characteristics are key in my players because it’s the small moments that make all the difference and that will help see out a match. This training camp is about putting in some really hard, physically testing days, and building a culture in this team about fighting for every second of every match against the odds.

Re-Signing Alex Rufer/6 Aug: He has shown me that he is willing to learn and he’s still a young player wanting to improve. I’m very happy to have him here this season and I can see him really developing in the squad we have.

News.com.au/6 Aug: It’s a really good, happy group, and I’m big on having a strong dressing room. Andrew Durante says it hasn’t been like this for five or six years, it’s very upbeat.

TRANSFER BUSINESS

News.com.au/6 Aug: We worked really hard on due diligence - personally this is my first opportunity to coach professionally, and I can’t afford to take risks. I need the correct players.

Steven Taylor Press Conference: Perhaps some of you might be thinking why are we taking our time and why haven’t we signed anyone and I make no excuses for that. I minimise risk as much as possible. We need to get it right and get every single one of our signings right. That’s why it takes time. We go through a thorough process.

Mark Rudan Unveiling/13 June: The visa ones didn’t really impress last year anyway. We need to improve, they weren’t standouts. We’re quite fortunate that we’ve got five visa spots up for grabs. You get that right and you’re halfway there. Not to say that I’m going to be using all of them, I don’t have to use all of them, but they’ve got to be better than the best [A-League] players are in each position.

Steven Taylor Press Conference: We take our time with our signings, particularly the visa spots. We’ve identified the areas that I’m looking to fill. Steven came across our desk and, like a lot of other players, we highlight them in terms of importance and he ranked quite highly there. Then we work on what is going to be the normal process of the football club, very thorough, very methodical, we check out a lot of games, we have a look at the technical, the tactical and the mental aspect of each player. And if they check out then we decide to go into the character referencing.

News.com.au/6 Aug: As for Filip Kurto, the club has conceded a lot of goals, so my focus was on that central corridor - goalkeeper, central defender, defensive midfielder - I wanted three foreigners there. We were trying to get one or two others, but we have our budgets, and we are not going to get marquees. It’s not easy to find a ‘keeper - it’s a very specialised position.

Michal Kopczynski Press Conference: When the process started we were way off. But knowing what his CV entailed, pretty clear on the profile, the player, the position that we were after, I’d like to think that I’ll fight for everything that I get and I don’t take no for an answer very lightly either. We chipped away slowly. The more we researched, the more we liked what we saw.

Steven Taylor Press Conference: It’s important to bring in good people. Particularly the visa players, we want good leaders as well. And we want to improve the level of professionalism at this club. We want our expectations to be extremely high. Mine certainly are.

Michal Kopczynski Press Conference: You always have to question: are his best years behind him? We don’t want those types either. I’ve been offered a lot of players between the age of 32 and 34 who I believe have done their due diligence and are probably coming for the wrong reasons. I’ll allow these people to talk and when you hear key messages, I’m saying not for me. Not for our football club. 

Steven Taylor Press Conference: I don’t want players to come here for the wrong reasons. Steven decided to take this on because it’s a challenge. We need to prove something to ourselves and the football club. They’re the sorts of characters I want here. This club’s got a lot to prove. Everyone here’s got a lot to prove. He’s bought into that.

News.com.au/6 Aug: Mitch Nichols has something to prove, especially what happened to him. I met him face-to-face before signing him - I wanted to look him in the eye and see where he was at. The guy has won two titles, so he knows what it takes to win. He has a lot to offer at the game, and he is still a good age at 29. Everyone makes mistakes, but if it is a mistake made twice then it will become an issue. But so far he has been exceptional - his work ethic has been superb.

Filip Kurto Press Conference: I’m in no rush. I certainly haven’t been pressured by anybody at the club to make signings earlier because of an FFA Cup game that’s coming up around the corner. Doesn’t bother me. Like I keep saying to everyone it’s the bigger picture.

KIWI SIGNINGS

News.com.au/6 Aug: I want to give locals a chance, and I offered six the opportunity to come in and trial. Some didn’t take it - they expected a contract automatically. Conversely, I had a guy called Joe Harris who was playing in Sweden who was prepared to pay his own way to come and trial. Unfortunately he wasn’t successful, but I thought his attitude, the sacrifice he made, was a good example for a Kiwi player - he went above and beyond to try and get a pro contract. You have players representing New Zealand at senior level who have never played professional football. I can fill the whole roster with Kiwi players, but right now, the environment they come from (semi-pro football) - it’s going to take them a year to develop. It just doesn’t work that way in pro football.

Stuff.co.nz/21 Aug: I can scrap everything and say I'm going to go with 22 or 24 New Zealanders. The reality is, is that if I bring 75 per cent of them from the NZ premiership or an environment where they're not professionals, it's going to take a hell of a long time to get them to be competitive in the A-League. You might get one or two who adapt extremely quickly, but, in my experience of seeing that transition from semi-pro to pro footballer, it takes them a lot longer to get used to the professional environment and do the things that are required at the professional environment. My job here as head coach of the Wellington Phoenix is to make sure I put out a competitive squad week-in, week-out.

Filip Kurto Press Conference: It’s not the first time an import keeper has come to the league but to try and find one that knows the league, an Aussie or New Zealander, that’s not easy. We did speak and try to get in touch with Marinovic... contracted. Gleeson: contracted. We looked at the kiwi boys first, we went to the Australian boys… then we started heading overseas.

Stuff.co.nz/21 Aug: There are certain players out there we have assessed. Kip Colvey for example. I'm looking for a right back. Kip is an interesting player, attached to an MLS club in Colorado. There was a possibility he was going to be offered to us on loan. So you do all your homework and ask why is that? Then you look at some of the games and see he's good in some areas and lacking in other areas, so I'm then taking a leap of faith to offer a contract to someone that I don't really know all that much about, but it's not someone I can have a look at and bring into the environment.

Stuff.co.nz/21 Aug: It's one thing assessing them in a game, it's another getting information from outsiders that will always be subjective, but until they come into the environment that I'm trying to create at the football club and see certain habits and behaviours, only then will I know. It's not just about the technical ability of a player, it's also the mentality.

Filip Kurto Press Conference: I know what my expectations are of the players. Some players that didn’t get a minute on the park last year might get an opportunity but it happens in the reverse as well. Some players don’t fit into what I want to do and that’s just football. It’s unfortunate perhaps for the player but I’m very open and honest with them as well. I don’t just move someone aside for the sake of it.

Stuff.co.nz/21 Aug: You don't have to be a Kiwi to buy into what we're trying to create. It does help, but at the same time, it's not a rule for perfection. I might bring a New Zealander in here, it doesn't mean they will buy into it as much as Andrew Durante or Steven Taylor.

Righto, whack an ad if you rate the reads.

Drop some dimes on Patreon to properly support the hustle.

Keep cool but care.