Football: Burns recalled to Socceroos

Nathan Burns. Photo by Getty
Nathan Burns. Photo by Getty
Nathan Burns never gave up hope of earning a recall to the Socceroos.

After last playing for the Australian national side in 2011, many pundits across the Tasman consigned the talented attacker to the international scrapheap as his career lurched from one bad spot to another at club level.

Injuries and inconsistency plagued Burns but the 26-year-old arrived in Wellington to join the Phoenix before the start of the A-League season with an eye on making his way back to the Socceroos.

He has scored a competition-leading 10 goals this summer and his wish was granted yesterday when he was named in Ange Postecoglou's 23-man squad for next month's Asian Cup that will be held across the Tasman.

"I believe if you're in form you have the chance; Ange has said that in previous meetings," Burns said of his recall. "So I definitely believed that it was a possibility but I didn't rely on that. It's massive to be called up; it's good on a personal and club level."

Some credit for his recall must go down to Phoenix coach Ernie Merrick who has given Burns a roving commission for Wellington this summer and he has responded in the best possible fashion.

"He's a good coach and we are playing a good style of football, which helps a lot," Burns said. "It gives you that freedom to play an attacking brand of football that I want to play so it definitely helps with the way Ernie's coaching at the moment and he's still pushing me and doesn't give me any days off."

The call-up for Burns also shows Australian players that they can push on to international football from the Phoenix after many believed they would be out of the thoughts of those that mattered if they played in Wellington.

The only minor issue for the fourth-placed Phoenix is that Burns will miss next week's A-League games against Adelaide in South Australia on January 31 and the Brisbane Roar in Wellington on January 4. He will be available for this Sunday's home clash with the Western Sydney Wanderers before he joins the Australian camp.

Australia begin their Asian Cup campaign against Kuwait on Friday, January 9, while they will also meet Oman and Korea in pool play at the 16-team tournament.

- By Daniel Richardson of NZME

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