Nathan Burns - A Phoenix again

http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/wellingtonphoe...

The Wellington Phoenix have signed Nathan Burns on a two-year contract and the Socceroo is excited by the prospect of starting his stint in New Zealand against English Premier League opposition.

“It will be awesome playing against West Ham and Newcastle United,” Burns said from Greece where he has been holidaying.

“I’ve played in friendlies against EPL teams before and it is really challenging.”

The 26-year-old began his career with Adelaide United and has since played in Greece for AEK Athens and Kerkyra (on loan) before moving to Korean club Incheon United in 2012.

Burns made a brief return to the A-League last season with Newcastle Jets and caused the Phoenix problems when the teams met in Napier.

He said that Ernie Merrick was a big influence in him moving to New Zealand.
“Ernie has been around a long time and had success in the A-League,” Burns said.

“He convinced me about the style of football he wants to play and I saw for myself what he was trying to do last season.”

Merrick said he had been looking for a player who could play as a midfielder, winger or high striker.

“Robbie Kruse was a good example of that type of player,” Merrick said.

“When he came to Victory as a winger I turned him into a high striker who would come in from wide and score goals.”

Burns said that role suited him just fine.

“It suits my style of game and funnily enough myself and Kruisey used to compete against each other for that role,” he said.

While his first goal is to help the Phoenix do well in the A-League, he also sees it as an opportunity to start pushing for a place in the Socceroos again with the last of his seven appearances coming in 2011.

“Watching the World Cup whets the appetite,” Burns said.

“My career has been a bit stop start for a few years now and it will be good to be challenging for a first team place every week.

“It was tough in Europe because it is all about momentum once you get in the team and that didn’t happen.

“You also need a bit of luck, but it hasn’t curbed my enthusiasm and I am still young enough to kick on.

“The Phoenix are making some good signings and there were good players there already so I am really looking forward to getting started.”

Merrick sees the acquisition of Burns as slotting in another piece of the jigsaw.
“Nathan’s attributes suit the modern game,” the coach said.

“He has a high work rate and good technical skills combined with speed and one-on-one dribbling skills.”

Welcome Nathan... I hope you can recapture the form you had before last season.

At 1.73 m he's actually a lot shorter than i thought.

Looks a lot older than 26 as well.

Always rated him when we played against the Jets. Really solid signing.

Welcome Burnsy!

Any relatives in Perth?

He was astonishing at Adelaide, Marcoesque he was so far above most of the league.

This makes me happy and warm inside.

Serious. (Marco might be hyperbole but think Leckie in his breakthrough season).

Yes he was, Djite was also very good. How times have moved on...

Last night a Djite saved my life...

wow if News rates him he must be amazing! sweet

Hey.  That has a disclaimer attached in that it was 6-7 years ago (and yes I know you were being sarcastic).

Djite's a cool bugger, he backed up Ifill in that Twitter feud with the stupid racist-sounding ex-Socceroo.

Who can we attribute Burns's quotes to? Does this mean theend of fhe road for Wee Mac? If not, these two plus Gorrin doesnt any room for a few others.

Good signing though if he can rediscover his potential. Good age for a signing too.

pretty stoked about this signing. proven class. and has a lot of drive. good on ya ernie!

The thing I like is he's still reasonably young and has something to prove.

Much like.

robbie slater the skinhead

He was a proper standout.  Once of those guys that no-one else could get near.  I like this signing - he's tailed off but I think if we get it right he could be a really good player for us.  Still not quite sure about the make up of our forward line, him, Brockie and Krishna - not sure who is going to play back to goal.

Didn't see much of him in his early years but I was really impressed with him last season. He looked strong, skillful and very hard working - just what we need.

No.  Scott Chipperfield

good signing; though think we have a lot of similar players in the forward line with not much variety or a player who can play back to goal.

I'd never heard of the the term "High Striker" employed by Ernie before. I always thought a High Striker was one of these things you get at old fun fairs?

 More useful than  Vinny Lia I say...

And it's Burns, Burns,Burns. The Ring of Fire. The Ring of Fire.

I don't get the angst about him in the transfer speculation thread (though I do agree we have a lot of fairly similar forwards now), I remember how at times the Adelaide side with him and Djite looked like they could score almost every time they got into the final third. The expectation at the time was that they were going to be the next Kewell and Viduka. His goalscoring record isn't great since leaving Adelaide, but he didn't really break through at AEK and hasn't settled anywhere since. If he can settle in here and Ernie uses him properly, I think he could be outstanding again.

I remember how good he was at Adelaide.

Then it seems was mediocre in Greece - just 25 appearances and one goal in three seasons at AEK Athens and 8 goals in 32 apps in the Greek second division for Kerkyra (Corfu - nice holiday spot. I see he's back holidaying there at present). Took him two and a half years before he scored his goal for AEK.

Hope he's over his injury problems - he must be taking a big pay cut after his half million a year at Incheon in Korea. Paid him a million dollars to play three games:

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/football/ga...

 "He has played just three K-League games in two years at Incheon, largely due to a knee injury suffered early in his stay. Burns is on about $500,000 a year and it is believed the club would be happy to release him."

Does look somewhat older than 26 - even older than Michael Bridges and it was easy to confuse him with team-mate Bridges last season at Newcastle, as Emile Heskey pointed out:

Emile Heskey @EmileHeskeyUK     Oct 15

@MickyBridges8 and @nathanburns10 twins. @MickyBridges8 actually looks young in this picture.. pic.twitter.com/v9At1CtCJh

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the irony of the photo above is that they are in a pub called "The Duke of Wellington" in Newcastle

Not a particularly long highlights reel but he certainly has some pretty awesome dribbling skills and vision. Hopefully he can recapture that form. A lot will depend on Brockie now and will be interesting to see what sort of formation Ernie opts for. I don't think ruling out another striker completely is a good idea, I think Burns might suit the attacking midfielder role better than a central striker, and we have so many other wide guys. I think he should be looked at in that position first actually before we make a final signing.

To be honest Burns is quite similar to Brockie in career trajectory. 

From the video he seems to be quite good at getting to the byline and cutting the ball back- do we have anyone who can side foot a ball into an empty net?

#Brocksneversidefootsanything

I caught the announcement last night on the car radio on the way home from work- poor reception area...

"Phoenix.....new signing.....Burns......"

I nearly had a feckin pile up!

All is now clear- welcome Nathan! Praise the Lord!

You thought Jacob?

No, he thought "Phoenix new signing Michael McGlinchey tragically burns to death in a grease fire."

Brockie has never been anywhere near signing for a club as large as AEK.