Adelaide United title-winning midfielder Stefan Mauk explains why he has rejoined the Reds from A-League rival Brisbane Roar
Stefan Mauk has revealed the reasons behind his return to Adelaide United, as the SA-born midfielder bids to rekindle the form which helped fire the Reds to their maiden A-League title.
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THE chance to become a key cog in Adelaide United’s high-octane attacking machine, while rekindling past glories, convinced Stefan Mauk it was time to come home.
Mauk rejoined his hometown team on a Two-and-a-half year deal from Brisbane Roar, in a much-needed boost to coach Gertjan Verbeek’s finals ambitions.
It came almost four years to the day from his initial arrival at the club, which helped spark United’s unlikely run to its maiden A-League championship.
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“Once I found out Adelaide was interested … I definitely wanted to come back,” Mauk, 24, said.
“The last couple of years have been pretty tough for myself and those memories (of the title win) are the best I’ve got in football.
“But the biggest thing for me is the playing style – that’s really all I needed to see.
“Any player that’s attacking, especially in my position getting into the box and scoring goals, this team the way they play suits that perfectly.
“Coming back here is very familiar and hopefully that helps me to get back playing my best football and helping this club.”
The versatile performer, who can play as a No. 10 or in a box-to-box role, featured 10 times for Brisbane Roar this campaign.
But he was deemed surplus to requirements following an injury-hit stint with the Queensland outfit, three years after a move to Dutch side NEC Nijmegen garnered just two appearances.
Mauk cut his professional teeth with Melbourne City, before joining the Reds midway through the 2015/16 campaign.
He scored three goals in United’s march to the minor premiership and was a key figure in the grand final success over Western Sydney at a packed Adelaide Oval.
“It something that’s very special,” said Mauk, who counted Reds director of football Bruce Djite among his teammates in the double triumph.
“Knowing the club it makes that transition in the middle of the year a bit easier, which is obviously what happened four years ago as well and that turned out pretty well.
“In life you have your ups and your downs, but for me I’ve definitely grown as a person and I think I’ve definitely improved as a player.
“Now it’s just being in the right environment and being able to excel.”
Mauk’s arrival follows the recent departure of a trio of Reds.
Ex-Australian youth international Mauk hoped to be available for the fifth-placed Reds’ trip to face his former club, Brisbane, at Suncorp Stadium next Saturday.
“Hopefully I’ll be able to start training next week and then it’s up to myself to perform on the training pitch,” the combative AIS graduate said.
“They’re trying to win games (not settle for draws) and sometimes when you play that style of football, you’re going to cop goals and lose sometimes.
“But they’ve definitely got the right building bocks and now it’s just about finding that consistency, with the ball and without the ball.
“We’ve got a lot of young South Australians at the club and going forward, we can definitely be a great team in the competition for seasons to come.
“That’s something that I wanted to be a part of.”
Meanwhile, United’s injury woes look set to continue with midfield dynamo Riley McGree in doubt for Saturday night’s clash with Melbourne City.
The club’s leading scorer inured his foot in training on Wednesday and sat out Thursday’s session to receive treatment.
McGree was named in the Reds’ extended squad for the Hindmarsh Stadium encounter, but will be assessed on Friday before being passed fit to play.
It follows news that teenage prodigy Al Hassan Toure will be sidelined for an indefinite period, after fracturing bone in his foot while on Olyroos duty in Thailand.