Adelaide United winger Nikola Mileusnic thrives for Dutch coach Gertjan Verbeek’s new-look Reds
Adelaide United winger Nikola Mileusnic says a new fitness regimen and creative licence has allowed him to put his injury nightmare behind him and thrive at the Reds.
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A revised fitness regimen and a new-found licence to express his creativity mean Nikola Mileusnic is more central to Adelaide United’s fortunes than ever before.
The SA-born winger is thriving in coach Gertjan Verbeek’s Reds revolution, boosting his game-time and end product in his fourth A-League campaign.
At this stage last year, Mileusnic was struggling for minutes and form, having endured a pre-season plagued by injury and illness.
But the speedster has emerged as a more physically robust figure and a key offensive weapon during Verbeek’s transformative debut term.
“This attacking and free-flowing game is really enjoyable to play,” Mileusnic, 26, said.
“Not just for me, but every player in the team, because it’s better to have the ball attacking, than defending without the ball.
“I feel like Gertjan really understands what players he has and how to work with them.
“If we’re attacking, we’re asked to try and do unexpected things that you don’t usually do in the defensive half.
“That gives you a bit of a licence to go out and do what you want.
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“When you’re playing games, keeping fit and doing well, what’s not to enjoy?.”
Mileusnic has scored twice and grabbed an assist in Adelaide’s first six league outings, as it went from back-to-back defeats to four-straight domestic wins.
Add in another strike and an incisive cut back for Riley McGree’s sealer in the Reds’ FFA Cup final rout of Melbourne City, and his growing influence on his team is apparent.
Mileusnic’s four appearances in the opening seven rounds of last campaign came from the bench, as he failed to have a hand in a goal under former boss Marco Kurz.
The White City and Adelaide City product, who went on to score five times and grab three assists, was at the time working his way back from a foot injury and a bout of appendicitis.
But he is already averaging more minutes (71 to 56), touches (42-28), passes (25-15) and shots on target (1.2-0.6) per game than in his 19 regular season appearances last summer.
Mileusnic’s positive response to Verbeek’s workrate demands, even for attackers, is highlighted by his increase in duels (9-8) and tackle success rate (86 per cent to 46 per cent).
“We still have our defensive structure,” said Mileusnic, who applied a stunning volley to finish off a lightning counter attack against Central Coast earlier this month.
“We have our patterns and ways we want to force (opposing) teams to where we want them, with the way we press them or drop off.
“But this year, my form comes down to my fitness.
“The more games you start and play, the more confident and consistent you get.”
Mileusnic has benefited from a more structured and closely monitored weight training program under Verbeek’s leadership, an approach he credits with remaining injury-free.
He said “speed sessions”, intense work on players’ explosive capabilities, have also given him the platform to avoid a repeat of the soft-tissue setbacks that have previously troubled him.
Mileusnic is primed for Sunday’s Hindmarsh Stadium clash with bottom-placed Wellington Phoenix, for which hip-injury victim Ben Halloran remains a 50/50 chance.
“They’re going to be hungry, so we’re going to have to put up a big fight,” said Mileusnic of the Kiwi side, which grabbed its maiden victory against Brisbane last weekend.
“But we’ll look at how to attack them and how to expose them.
“All the boys are up and about at the moment, and we know we’re on a bit of a streak.
“It’s a good feeling going into training and you really look forward to it.”