Perth Glory coach Dave Mitchell remains positive his side can cap off their season with a win and look forward to a new campaign with positive momentum.
Perth Glory coach Dave Mitchell remains positive his side can cap off their season with a win and look forward to a new campaign with positive momentum.
Speaking before Glory departed for their match against Queensland on Saturday night, Mitchell was confident the quality his side had demonstrated throughout the latter part of the campaign will form a platform for the future however the coach did lament a poor run with injuries and results over the first few rounds that grounded their finals aspirations.
With 12 players unable Perth has a threadbare squad from which to select a side however Mitchell has called upon four of the club-s talented Youth Team players and is confident of a strong showing against the Roar.
“We’re playing for pride,” Mitchell declared. “And, when you say there’s nothing to play for there’s always that.”
“They have an opportunity to get top spot, depending on other results, and we want to stop them winning the premiership.
“There’s definitely something to play for. It-s a big game for them and we want to make it a big game. They’re a good side, so it will be a challenge for us and that’s what I want, I want the boys to be up for a challenge.”
Mitchell said he’d spent many nights thinking about the club’s narrow losses and dropped points this season, particularly matches where Perth conceded late goals.
“For weeks I’ve been doing that,” he said. “When you look at the table and you think there are a couple of games where we were hard done by and a couple of games which we could have shut out a bit better.
“I thought we had a good enough side at the start of the season and I think injuries took a big toll early.
“It took us a while to get going from that and once we did I think we hit our straps but the season ran out on us really.
“That’s hindsight now and hopefully we can learn from that and move on.”
Perth can finish as high as sixth if Newcastle deny Sydney FC victory in Sunday’s NSW derby.
Perth Glory Squad – 2008/09 Hyundai A-League: Rd 21
Queensland Roar v Perth Glory
Saturday, 24 January 2009 at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Kick off 6.00pm (AWDT)
Match Radio Broadcast on 6PR 882am – click here to listen
Perth Glory Squad: 30.Tando VELAPHI (gk), 1.Jason PETKOVIC (gk), 2.Nikolai TOPOR-STANLEY, 5.Jamie HARNWELL, 7.Nick RIZZO, 11.Scott BULLOCH, 13.Nikita RUKAVYTSYA, 15.Hayden DOYLE, 16.Adriano PELLEGRINO, 17.Jimmy DOWNEY, 19.Naum SEKULOVSKI, 22.Wayne SRHOJ, 24.Anthony SKORICH, 28.Andrija JUKIC, 29.Victor SIKORA, 31.Scott NEVILLE, 32.Dean EVANS
* two to be omitted
In: 13.Nikita RUKAVYTSYA (return from trial in Holland), 17.Jimmy DOWNEY (return from injury), 24.Anthony SKORICH (promoted from Youth Team), 32.Dean EVANS (promoted from Youth Team)
Out: 3.David TARKA (hip – season), 4.Jamie COYNE (glute – 1 week)
Unavailable: Josip MAGDIC (ankle – season), AMARAL (hamstring – season), James ROBINSON (abdomen – season), Frank JURIC (shoulder – test), Eugene DADI (on loan to FC Vaduz), Dino DJULBIC (transfer to Rot Weiss Ahlen – Germany), Hayden FOXE (leg – season), Mark LEE (foot – 1 week), Marc ANTHONY (hamstring – 1 week), Adrian TRINIDAD (ankle – 1 week)
Queensland Roar Squad: 1. Liam REDDY (gk), 2.Andrew PACKER, 4.Craig MOORE (c), 5.Josh McCLOUGHAN, 7.Michael ZULLO, 8.Massimo MURDOCCA, 9.Sergio VAN DIJK, 10. Charlie MILLER, 12. Tahj MINNIECON, 14.Ben GRIFFIN, 15.Matthew McKAY, 17.Mitch NICHOLS, 18.Danny TIATTO, 19. Isaka CERNAK, 20.Griffin McMASTER (gk), 21.Tommy OAR, 22. Robbie KRUSE, 23. Tim SMITS.
*three to be omitted
In: 1. Liam REDDY (returns from injury), 12. Tahj MINNIECON (returns from injury), 19. Isaka CERNAK (promoted), 21.Tommy OAR (promoted), 23. Tim SMITS (promoted).
Out: 16.Hyuk-Su SEO (calf injury), 40. Matt HAM (end of short-term injury contract)
Unavailable: REINALDO (groin injury), Luke DEVERE (hamstring injury)
