The seven-month exile: Burgess's journey from forgotten man to Jets' leader
Mark Milligan was not worried about Max Burgess being sidelined at Sydney FC for seven months. When they first met, the new Jets coach noticed Burgess's strong desire to regain his form and improve further.
Burgess will face Sydney FC—and his former coach, Ufuk Talay—for the first time since leaving Moore Park, as the Jets host the Sky Blues at McDonald Jones Stadium on Saturday. The midfielder is currently in the best form of his career.
"I played against Max and have known Max for a long time," Milligan said. "I had a clear vision about what I thought Max's role would be here. Part of that was bringing through and showing the young ones what it takes to be a professional."
"What he did go through [in Sydney] was not easy. The way he went about things—he stayed professional and kept working. When I brought him in here, he was in good shape and had a hunger. The first time I sat down with Max, I saw the hunger in him to get back to the player he knew he could be and go on from there to become better."
At 30 years old, Burgess made only three appearances in his last season at Sydney, a year when the Sky Blues missed the finals. Previously, he had averaged 24 appearances each season at his boyhood club.
Author's summary: Max Burgess overcame a challenging seven-month absence to become a key leader for the Jets, driven by determination and professionalism.