Brisbane Roar Head Coach Mike Mulvey has urged the club’s fans and members to come out in their numbers on Friday night against Western Sydney Wanderers as he aims to steer his side to their third home win this Hyundai A-League season.
Brisbane Roar Head Coach Mike Mulvey has urged the club-s fans and members to come out in their numbers on Friday night against Western Sydney Wanderers as he aims to steer his side to their third home win this Hyundai A-League season.
After Sunday-s rain-dampened 2-1 loss to Newcastle Jets at Hunter Stadium, Mulvey wants his side to bounce back and bounce back in a big way – at Suncorp Stadium against the current ladder leaders, the Wanderers, who the Roar have never beaten.
“We-ve played six games now, four of them have been away from home, our next two games are at home and we want our home ground to be a fortress,” he said.
“I make an appeal to all the Brisbane Roar fans to come out in big numbers on Friday night and to also bring their voices with them.
“We hear all about the Western Sydney fan base at home and it is quite an intimidating environment; it-s a much smaller ground than Suncorp.
“We-ve had good crowds and if that continues this week and they make a hell of a noise, then they-ll give the players a lift and become our 12th man.
“We will be putting on a show regardless for the fans but it really will help us.”
Sunday-s loss dropped the Roar to second on the Hyundai A-League ladder, behind Tony Popovic-s men, and a win on Friday night would propel Brisbane back to the top.
In the four meetings (three regular season matches and last season-s Hyundai A-League elimination final) between the two sides since the Wanderers- inception in April 2012, the team in red and black has won all four and outscored the Roar by six goals to one.
But Mulvey said all the factors made the challenge all the more appealing.
“They-re a new club, our record against them is not great and we want to smash that hoodoo,” the Brisbane boss said.
“What better place to do it than at home on Friday night – we-ve got the players to do it, we-ve got the will to do it and we-re still hurting from the semi-final knockout defeat.
“I-m confident we-ll bounce back from the defeat on the weekend, we-re a good side and we want to prove that on Friday night against the Wanderers.”
Brisbane Roar host Western Sydney Wanderers on Friday, 22 November at Suncorp Stadium. Kick-off is at 7pm. Tickets available here.