It will be the former Sydney FC captain's first taste of A-League management, replacing Darije Kalezic, who did not see out a miserable 2017-18 season in which the team only just avoided the wooden spoon. Wednesday marked 91 days since the club announced Kalezic had told his players he would not be coaching them next season.

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The club now has two more seasons until it faces a test of its metrics - such as crowd figures and viewship - to decide if it will be granted a futher three-year A-League licence.

Rudan was aware of the challenge he faces, but said that made the job even more enticing.

"It's a challenge. I love a challenge, I always have throughout my playing and coaching career."

Most of Rudan's coaching experience was across four and a bit seasons with Sydney United in the second-tier of Australian football, where he won two National Premier League championships.

His 17-year professional playing career ended in 2010 after more than 350 games in Australia, Germany, China, Japan, Malaysia and Switzerland.

Former Sydney FC captain Mark Rudan tussles with Phoenix players Daniel Cortes and Shane Smeltz in 2007.

His initial task will be to add to the 11 players the club currently has on its books. Kiwi players the initial priority, with Rudan saying they were looking closely at two Kiwis already.

He said he had talked to assistant coach Chris Greenacre, but did not confirm if he would be staying at the club.

Louis Fenton might also not be returning. He was released before last season, but the club said at the time he would have a "new one-year contract in place from September 2018".

"I only heard about Louis this morning, so there's not much more to say about that, that's one we have to look into more," Rudan said.

He said whoever ended up at the club would have to be willing to give everything to make it successful.

"Everyone is on notice. When we have a full squad of players they'll be on notice. My staff will be on notice every day. There is no day off as far as I'm concerned. That's how I work as a coach and I expect the same from my staff. I'm expecting changes to be made. Habits are going to change.

"Don't get me wrong, I want them to enjoy coming to work as well, it's not a dictatorship, we're going to have fun along the way as well, but we need to change behaviours."

The fighting talk also came from Phoenix chairman Rob Morrison, who took exception to a question about comments he made in December 2016, when, at the press conference for Ernie Merrick's resignation, Morrison poured cold water on talk Rudan was the frontrunner to take over the job, telling a reporter not only had he not talked to Rudan, he had never even heard of him.

"No I didn't [see those comments], but Rob is here so I might ask him if those comments were true or not," Rudan said with a laugh, before saying he wasn't bothered by what was said so long ago.

Morrison seemed to be though, addressing the media pack from the back of the room when it seemed like the press conference was about to finish.

Phoenix owner Rob Morrison took exception a journalist's question at the new coach media announcement.

"I'll just say one thing because I think that it was such a stupid question about the fact I would say I've never heard of Mark. I can tell you in my 30 years of employing people, I've employed hundreds of people I've never heard before two years ago.

"It's a completely irrelevant point to make in hiring anybody. If you had any skill in terms of hiring a person you would understand that, so the relevance of making that point is completely beyond me."

Wellington Phoenix owner Rob Morrison gave his opinions from the back of the room at a media conference to introduce newly appointed coach Mark Rudan.

Earlier, Rudan had said how taken he was by the passion Morrison had for the club and how it had been a big motivator for him to take the job.

"I'm not here to talk about what's going on politically, that's not my job, my job is to win football games, but when I hear the owner who's got a real fight in him, and I'm a bulldog myself when it comes to things like that, it makes that challenge sweeter and greater. I'm ready for it."

AT A GLANCE

Mark Rudan

Age: 42

Birthplace: Sydney, Australia

Playing career: 1993-2010, 69 A-League caps for Sydney FC and Adelaide United

Coaching career: Rockdale City Suns 2011-12, Sydney United 2013-2017, Young Socceroos (assistant) 2016

- Stuff