Soccer: 'El Zorro' helps give Nix the cutting edge

The way Carlos Hernandez puts away his penalties reflects his current confidence. Photo / Getty Images

The pass master has arrived - and he's set the Phoenix alight.

There are numerous reasons for the Phoenix's recent upsurge in form but the fact that star import Carlos Hernandez has found his A game is one of the major factors.

His signing by Ricki Herbert last year was greeted with almost universal acclaim among football people in this country.

However, there was also a little trepidation. Which Hernandez would we see in New Zealand? The man who fired in the early years with the Melbourne Victory, twice winning the golden boot and once being named player of the season? Or the player who struggled in his final year in Victoria, eventually departing for the less than glamorous destination of India's I-League?

Thankfully, the Phoenix have landed Hernandez Mark I. The Costa Rican looks a man re-born. There have been hiccups with minor injuries and also the storm in a teacup when he left an away trip early, voicing unhappiness over the delay in bringing his family to New Zealand. It was later resolved and Hernandez apologised to club officials - and his best form has coincided with the team's revival.

Hernandez, who will be a key figure in today's match against the Newcastle Jets, is fit and firing. Despite heavy attention, he unpicked the Adelaide defence at will last week, with one phase of play to set up the second goal particularly impressive. He eluded the attention of three markers, twisted out of trouble and, despite being off balance, slipped a perfect ball with the outside of his foot to release compatriot Kenny Cunningham, who sprinted away before finishing with aplomb.

He threaded several other pinpoint passes to create chances and only the lack of finishing and impressive work from the Adelaide custodian stopped the score from blowing out.

"This is my job - [to] create chances for the other players and the strikers," Hernandez told the Herald on Sunday. "Sometimes it is difficult; all of the teams in the A-League know Carlos Hernandez and sometimes the marking is very strong. For me now, I want to do more. Sometimes I have a chance to score and that is good but the most important is to help the forwards play well and create many options for the strikers."

As he did for much of his stint in Melbourne, Ernie Merrick is getting the best out of his Costa Rican compadre.

Thanks to a special plan put in place by the club, Hernandez is fitter than he has been for several seasons and, while his main focus is what he does with the ball, he has shown a willingness to track back and work hard to put pressure on defenders.

The tireless work of Vince Lia and Albert Riera has provided a platform for Hernandez, while the flank players and strikers have begun to tune in to the Central American.

"We all know what Carlos can do," says Merrick, "and he has been very good for us lately. He has been working hard since he arrived and it is starting to pay off. As a team, it has been important for the service to improve to the strikers and the penny is beginning to drop there. The strikers are improving the timing of their runs, which makes life difficult for an opposing backline."

Hernandez is becoming the marquee man - the kind of player who could anchor a run to the finals - and his surge in form has helped alleviate the absence of Paul Ifill, who for many years seemed almost the Phoenix's sole source of attacking inspiration. Now they have weapons across the park, though the 31-year-old known as 'El Zorro' will need to keep pulling the strings.

"I don't look at my performance," says Hernandez. "I look at the performance of the team. If the [other] players aren't running or not playing well, then I don't play well."

Apart from his assists, Hernandez is one of the best in the team at keeping possession - a crucial tenet of the new strategy - and has also started to chip in with goals (three in his last two games).

Hernandez looks assured from 12 yards out, with a 100 per cent record from three attempts. He's maybe the best penalty taker at the Wellington club since Shane Smeltz, with an Eric Cantona-like ability to change his option midway through his (extremely short) run-up; his wink at the opposition goalkeeper before last week's successful spot kick hinted at his current confidence.

"I've always had a short run-up," says Hernandez. "I practise a lot and make sure that I shoot hard ... I don't need to take a long run-up. The most important thing is to have a lot of confidence and then you usually score."

With his family now in tow, you sense Hernandez has settled well in Wellington, away from a more intense media spotlight in Australia and with a team devoid of major egos. There was the occasional difficult moment in the first few months, and at one point the senior players at the club pulled him aside to remind him of the need to be a 'team player' but the Costa Rican looks focussed and is flourishing.

"We had new players, a new coach, so it was difficult at first but the team looks strong now," says Hernandez.

"We will finish in the top six and hopefully we can finish fourth. We have changed our mentality - home or away, we want to take the three points. The other teams in the A-League should be [wary] - Wellington is very strong now."