Soccer: Sigmund enjoying change of role

Ben Sigmund. Photo / Getty Images

Ben Sigmund, goal provider and scorer. It sounds like a classic oxymoron, but the hardnosed defender is in the midst of reinventing himself in aid of Wellington Phoenix's A-League soccer playoff cause.

The All Whites centre back is known for his uncompromising defence rather than ability to pass and get forward, but a move to right back in recent weeks has seen him attempt to remodel his game with an emphasis on charging up and down the flank and getting into more attacking positions.

With left back Tony Lochhead out because of injury, and fullback stocks at the club hardly bursting at the seams, Phoenix coach Ricki Herbert had little option but to chuck Sigmund in the deep end.

It's not the first time he has been asked to play out of position but, on the evidence of last Sunday's 2-1 win against Adelaide United at Christchurch, when he made a good run before delivering the perfect pass for Tim Brown to score then headed home a 94th minute winner, the Cantabrian is making swift progress.

He simply wants more of the same heading into tomorrow night's match against Gold Coast United at Robina (2315 start NZT).

"It's certainly something I've focused on," Sigmund told NZPA of his new role and the willingness to get forward.

"Defensively I'm pretty sound but Ricki likes his left and right backs to get forward and for me to get forward to create opportunities, that's my job and I'm working at it. I've spoken to Ricki and the best thing for the team is for me to play at right back.

"We've lacked that a bit, so to contribute the way I did in that second half against Adelaide was great. It was almost like somebody waved a magic wand and gave me 45 minutes where nobody could touch me, so we'll see what happens this week."

Sigmund, who still calls Christchurch home, described the way the Adelaide match panned out as a "fairytale" in front of his family, friends and old teammates, and said it was "certainly one of the moments of my career".

Tomorrow may be difficult to get up for then. There were 14,000 fans in Christchurch but given the crowds Gold Coast have been pulling, a zero may well be shaved off that figure.

Gold Coast officials will certainly be salivating over Herbert's touchline ban because his presence in the stands may help to boost what have been the poor turnouts at Skilled Park.

Crowds have been consistently under the 2000-mark and just 1658 fans turned up for Gold Coast's 3-0 win over Melbourne Heart last Sunday, 26 more people than the New Zealand Knights' A-League record low attendance.

Herbert is serving a one-match suspension after being sent from the sidelines for abusing referee Peter O'Leary in the Adelaide match, and cannot have any communication with the team from 90 minutes before kickoff until 60 minutes after the match.

The only change to the Phoenix team is expected to be Leo Bertos in for the injured Nick Ward, provided Bertos proves his fitness. He has missed the past two weeks with a groin strain but travelled with the team yesterday.

The Phoenix have won two and drawn one of their past four matches and are hoping to improve on their fifth placing, but third-placed Gold Coast are enjoying a consistent season, which includes a 3-3 draw with the Phoenix at Wellington and a 3-1 win over the New Zealand team at Robina.

Meanwhile, Daniel and Brown will equal Lochhead's club record of 74 appearances for the Phoenix should they feature tomorrow.

- NZPA