Soccer: Mulligan's back in from the cold

Auckland City's David Mulligan. Photo / Brett Phibbs

David Mulligan is househunting in Auckland but doesn't plan to spend much time in the new abode.

The All White midfielder, now plying his trade in the ASB Premiership with Auckland City, has had enough weekends at home in the last 18 months to last a lifetime.

After signing for the Phoenix in 2008, on the back of 180 appearances in the English Football League over nine seasons, the 28-year-old then disappeared almost without trace. He played just three A-League games in the first season then failed to rack up a single minute in 2009-10, often left kicking his heels in Wellington while the squad travelled to Australia for away matches.

"It got to a stage where I knew I wasn't going to be involved," recalls Mulligan. "So I just turned up at training to do something that I love - play football - and as the months went on I had to accept I wasn't going to be involved."

Mulligan thought he had a strong pre-season last year and was even named man of the match in a warm-up fixture in Christchurch against a Canterbury selection. That game turned out to be the last time he would play for the Wellington franchise. He would train every week from Monday to Friday, but as the weeks went by would barely tune in as coach Ricki Herbert named his squad.

"It was incredibly frustrating," says Mulligan. "You give your best every day but get no reward for the weekend. I started to wonder - why am I here. It is hard to keep your confidence up. For my wife I've been the worst guy to be around the last few years. I've been walking around smiling but deep down inside I am hurting because I am not playing."

It is difficult to recall a New Zealand international in any sport being unwanted by his club for such a prolonged period; only former Kiwi Olsen Filipaina (who spent most of his Sydney career in reserve grade with North Sydney and Balmain) comes to mind.

As well as constant support from his spouse and friends, Mulligan knew he had to retain a positive attitude and eventually he was rewarded. "I decided that if I give my best at least I am keeping fit and giving myself a chance. I was sulking at the Phoenix I probably wouldn't have gone to the World Cup."

Mulligan's career has been a portrait of perseverance. He spent three years at Championship club Barnsley before being released and moved to Doncaster. After close to 80 matches in South Yorkshire, he enjoyed a less fruitful time with his next club Scunthorpe, eventually being loaned to Grimsby then Port Vale before coming to Wellington.

Mulligan is used to the feeling unwanted but admits it never gets any easier. The worse experience was at Barnsley, where he was called into the manager's office the week after a strong game away at Queens Park Rangers.

The then 21-year-old thought it would be to discuss a release for an upcoming All Whites international. "The gaffer looked up from his desk and said, 'Yes, we will release you for that New Zealand game, and actually we won't be needing you back"'.

Mulligan hopes time in the ASB Premiership will mark the first stages of his resurrection and lead to another overseas deal.

He made an immediate impact in the first round last week, scoring two late free kicks to get Auckland out of jail against Waikato.

"It has given me the chance to get my career back on the rails.

"I thought it was a great opportunity to get my confidence back on what has been a rollercoaster journey."