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Former Wellington Phoenix coach Marko Rudan drops by Yellow Fever pub crawl.
A former Wellington Phoenix coach walked into a bar … and ended up shouting $878 worth of drinks to the club’s supporters.
Marko Rudan was back in Wellington on Saturday with his new A-League Men club Western Sydney Wanderers, and in the Christmas spirit.
Hours before his team suffered a late 2-0 defeat to the Phoenix at Sky Stadium, Rudan decided to go for a walk around the Wellington waterfront to reminisce about his time living in the New Zealand capital.
While out and about, Rudan was spotted by Wellington’s supporters group Yellow Fever, who were on their annual pre-match pub crawl.
After hearing chants of “who are ya!” as he walked past the Foxglove bar, Rudan decided to join them.
He posed for photos and offered to buy a round of drinks.
To his shock, the bill came to $878.73.
“Did I expect the bill to be that much? No,” Rudan chuckled.
“The first lot came in, then they all came in and before I knew it was a tsunami of yellow and black.
“I guess it was just my way of saying thanks. When I was here, they were great towards me, and when someone leaves and they become the opposition, it’s normal that they act a certain way, and that’s OK.
“But it was just my way of saying thanks. It’s Christmas in a couple of days.”
Rudan became public enemy No. 1 in the eyes of the Phoenix supporters in 2019 after bailing halfway through a two-year deal to join expansion club Western United and taking three players with him, including club legend Andrew Durante.
Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images
Marko Rudan walks past a Phoenix banner which reads “1 thief, 3 traitors” on his first game in Wellington as an opposition coach.
Rudan was given a hostile welcome in his first game back at Sky Stadium as opposition coach, with one fan bringing a banner that read “1 thief, 3 traitors”.
Rudan was pictured sheepishly walking past the banner as he made his way down the players’ tunnel after the match.
He copped a bit of stick from the Yellow Fever on Saturday, but was not routinely booed like in previous visits.
Unfortunately for Rudan, his act of good will did not rub off on his own team either.
Western Sydney suffered late heartbreak after Kosta Barbarouses and Ben Old scored stoppage-time goals for the Phoenix.
After the match, Phoenix coach Giancarlo Italiano was asked if he would match Rudan’s gesture.
“Nah, no chance. I don’t have that much money.”
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