Football: Wellington Phoenix announce Mark Rudan as new manager

Mark Rudan. Photo / Getty

Mark Rudan is the new head coach of Wellington Phoenix Football Club.

The 42-year-old Australian has been unveiled in the capital today and will lead the side into their 2018/19 A-League campaign.

Rudan has previously worked as an assistant coach with the Australian under-20 side and guided the Sydney United 58 club to two NSW National Premier League titles.

He captained Sydney FC to the inaugural A-League Championship in 2005/06 and had a further two seasons with the Sky Blues before ending his 17-year professional playing career at Adelaide United in 2009/10 and moving into coaching.

While never hiding his ambitions to coach at A-League level, this is Rudan's first foray into the competition, although he was offered the head coach job at the Newcastle Jets in 2015, but turned the role down.

Welcome to Wellington @MarkRudan! pic.twitter.com/MOL5lAAp4k

— Wellington Phoenix 🔥 (@WgtnPhoenixFC) May 30, 2018

Rudan has recently completed a football sabbatical where he studied under new Arsenal manager Unai Emery at Paris-St Germain and Pablo Machin at Spanish side Girona FC.

He replaces Darije Kalezic who was sacked as Phoenix coach in March, with Chris Greenacre taking temporary charge for the last six games of the 2017/18 campaign.

Rudan is renowned for insisting on a dedicated work ethic, paying close attention to small details and creating a culture and environment which leads to success.

He also has a reputation for getting the best from the players and resources available to him, a skill which could prove extremely valuable in Wellington.

The Phoenix currently have 12 players signed for next season and crucially just one of their five allowed import spots filled by Fijian striker Roy Krishna.

The 2018/19 A-League season begins in mid-October, with the Phoenix players due back for pre-season training next month.