Deadly Wellington Phoenix soccer striker Paul Ifill has no concerns about second-season syndrome.
Ifill, displaying fine ball control and a sharp change of pace, smacked home 12 goals from 28 matches in his A-League debut with the club last season.
His run dried up somewhat in the playoffs - he only scored once in three matches before the club was stopped one game short of the grand final by Sydney - but it's unlikely the drought will continue into this season.
The Phoenix, having sat out a first week bye, open with a home match on Friday against Gold Coast United against whom they set a club record last year with a 6-0 win, Ifill scoring one goal and assisting with three others.
The Phoenix also won the return leg 1-0 later in the season.
The former Barbadian international told NZPA that second-season syndrome, where someone of his calibre would be a marked man, was something for 18 or 19-year-olds to consider - not him at age 30.
"My experience should get me through - I hope so anyway."
There were reasons aplenty why Ifill thought he, and the club, would go better this season.
"I feel better than I did this time last year and you are going to see big things from us this year.
"Last year, I came out (to New Zealand) about seven days before the season started, so there was no time to strike up any sort of partnerships or link ups.
"It was straight in and play, and it took a little bit of time to get that going.
"This year, there's been plenty of time.
"Partnerships have been struck and we have really worked hard together over the pre-season to get things sorted out -- we are further forward as a team this time around."
Coach Ricki Herbert had also been astute with his new signings, particularly Argentine midfielder Toto, central defender Jade North and strikers Mirjan Pavlovic and former Central Coast Mariner Dylan Macallister, who scored in the Phoenix's 2-1 win over Argentine glamour club Boca Juniors last month.
"Dylan will be the target man who we were missing last year," Ifill said.
A rusty-looking Gold Coast started their season last week with a 0-0 draw against Brisbane Roar, but that was no reason to think it would be easy on Friday.
"It is going to be tough - they weren't the best (last week), but I can't see them playing worse than that.
"And forget last year's 6-0 - they are going to put up a fight."
Ifill acknowledged football fever was growing thanks to the Phoenix's run last season and the All Whites' World Cup heroics.
"The way we are playing, everybody expects us to win. But Friday will be all about getting the three points, not setting a benchmark.
"Maybe it will be about making a statement of intent, but we are not expecting a 6-0 for sure."
- NZP
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