The long wait is almost over.
By the time Glory take to the field to lock horns with Brisbane Roar at Moreton Daily Stadium on Wednesday, it will be 43 days since the club’s last competitive ISUZU UTE A-League game.
So it comes as little surprise that, according to Head Coach Richard Garcia, players and staff alike are chomping at the bit to get back into action.
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“The guys are dying to get back out there and do what they love to do,” he said.
“It’s been fantastic to be able to have some time at home with family and regroup, but I think everyone is itching to get back out there and play.
“I love that they are dying to do well for the group as well as the club.
“A lot of the guys wear their heart on their sleeve and I hope that shows in their performances in the coming weeks.”
Glory’s enforced competitive hiatus has at least enabled a number of senior players to recover from injury, with Garcia confirming that the likes of Andy Keogh, Osama Malik, Liam Reddy and Mitch Oxborrow are all ready to return.
“It’s great to have the squad virtually injury-free,” he said, “and everyone is going to be needed because, as we’ve seen, it’s going to be a trip where games are going to get thrown in and changed.
“We’re going to have situations where we’re going to be asked to back up with a short turnaround and we’re going to need everyone in the squad.
“Brad Jones (calf) and Luca Bodnar (foot) are probably not too far away either; Brad is probably a little bit further than Brad.”
The Head Coach also provided an update on Daniel Sturridge who has been training on the east coast since before Christmas.
“Daniel is travelling really well and will definitely play some part in the [Brisbane] game,” he said.
“It’s back to where we were when he first arrived; the plan hasn’t really changed from day one.
“He’s built pretty nicely over the last few weeks and the more match practice he gets, the better he’ll be for it.
“The plan was always to build him up in big chunks of the game.
“I still feel he needs to get minutes off the bench and bigger minutes as time goes by and he feels that he’s in a better place to do that for bigger periods of the game.”
Glory will be up against a Roar side yet to register a win this season, although Warren Moon’s men did earn a 1-1 away draw with Sydney FC last time out.
Last season’s corresponding fixture saw the Queenslanders gain revenge for their February defeat at HBF Park as they earned a 2-1 victory in the penultimate game of the regular season.
(picture courtesy of Estybsphoto)
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It’s been a long time coming.
