Perth coach Dave Mitchell believes a well-rested Gold Coast United will be desperate to get their season back on track when they face the Glory at nib Stadium on Sunday.
Perth coach Dave Mitchell believes a well-rested Gold Coast United will be desperate to get their season back on track when they face the Glory at nib Stadium on Sunday.
United have had two byes over the first five weeks of the season, but have not registered a win in the games they’ve played, drawing two of the matches and losing their last game to Melbourne Victory.
Sitting in second last on the Hyundai A-League table and taking on the in-form Perth at their home venue may not sound like the best way to kick-start a season, but Mitchell is particularly wary of Miron Bleiberg’s men.
Bleiberg, himself, has spent most of the week talking up Perth’s premiership credentials and labelling his side as a rank underdog in this clash.
But with two weeks’ break behind them, a new striker in Bruce Djite and their superb undefeated record against the Glory, Gold Coast will be looking for big things from this weekend as they look to put the opening five weeks behind them.
“They’re a quality side and they’ll make it difficult,” Mitchell said on Friday after training.
“They had last weekend off and we had a tough game.”
“They know they’re a good side and … everyone has been talking of us in recent weeks, and they’ll want to prove they’re as good as us and come out and have a go at us.”
Mitchell said he would take the same team into this game as the one that defeated Wellington 2-1 last Sunday afternoon.
This means that reigning club champion, defender Andy Todd, will start once again from the bench as he continues to build match fitness after pre-season knee surgery.
“Andy’s a thorough pro,” Mitchell said. “And, he knows the situation.”
“He has to wait for his chance to come back in now because the boys at the back have done exceptionally well.”
“I’m not looking to change anything from last week.”
“We probably didn’t capitalise on the chances we made but still, same squad and same team.”
“The players … they know there’s places there up for grabs and they want to play well and they’ve done that.’
Mitchell said the Glory’s preparation for this game had not been altered by Djite’s addition to the United side, the coach saying his team would simply prepare as if departed striker Shane Smeltz was in the visiting squad.
And the coach didn’t expect there to be too many boos for former Glory defender Dino Djulbic, who left Perth to play for his former junior club, German team Rot Weiss Ahlen, only to be left on the sidelines as they were relegated from Bundesliga 2.
Djulbic returned to Australia to join United at the end of last season and is making his first trip back to Perth with an opposition club.
“Dino’s a Perth boy so he’ll want to come here and do well,” Mitchell said.
“He’s a big, physical boy, he’s a good lad. I’ve always gotten on well with him.”
“He had a bad time over in Germany but it’s a tough league (and) he wanted to look at greener pastures and Gold Coast gave him that opportunity.”
