Brisbane Roar Head Coach Mike Mulvey is confident in his team’s ability to overcome Melbourne Heart this coming Sunday at Suncorp Stadium, despite missing two key players.
Brisbane Roar Head Coach Mike Mulvey is confident in his team-s ability to overcome Melbourne Heart this coming Sunday at Suncorp Stadium, despite missing two key players.
Irish playmaker Liam Miller joins striker Besart Berisha on the sidelines following a calf injury picked up in last weekend-s 1-0 loss to Melbourne Victory but Mulvey has every faith in the players at his disposal.
“Injuries are part and parcel of football and they test your depth,” the Brisbane boss said.
“We, like every other team, will be in situations when we-ll have to call on players who haven-t been playing on a regular basis.
“If we have to face that, I have confidence in the players we-ve got.”
Like the Victory match, Brazilian speedster Henrique and Gold Coast-born youngster Kwame Yeboah are likely to share responsibilities up front in Berisha-s absence.
The Roar coaching staff will also be able to utilise the versatility of a number Roar players including the in-form Ivan Franjic and Diogo Ferreira, who is yet to make his club debut after signing for Brisbane in the off-season, to plug the midfield hole left by Miller-s absence.
Luke Brattan is expected to overcome some heavy bruising copped after a heavy clash with the Victory-s Adrian Leijer last Friday to play against the Heart at home on Sunday.
“I thought we played very well last weekend and the only thing missing was goals,” Mulvey said.
“We-ll try to rectify that this weekend.”
If required, coach Mulvey also maintained his faith in the club-s young generation of Foxtel National Youth League players, five of whom have been training full-time with the senior squad since pre-season began in the first week of June.
“It was every intention that they would make up the bulk of the squad for the rest of the year. At some stage, they-re going to be called upon,” he said.
“It-s already happened with Kwame [Yeboah] and it might happen to a couple of others.
“We-ve got every faith in these players and you-ve got to give youth a chance. I-ve never been afraid to do that in my time.
“I think the fans will realise when we put some younger players in and they get their opportunity, they-ll give everything they-ve got for the orange shirt and that-s the main thing.”
Dependable defender Shane Stefanutto came off towards the end of the Roar-s training session on Wednesday morning and a decision on his inclusion in Sunday-s squad will be made closer to match day.
Sunday, 3 November 2013
Brisbane Roar v Melbourne Heart
Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Kick-off: 4:00pm Brisbane time
Referee: Lucien Laverdure
Assistant Referee 1: Ashley Beecham
Assistant Referee 2: Andrew Lindsay
Fourth Official: Alan Milliner
Join the conversation on Twitter using the hash-tag #GoRoar
Brisbane Roar squad: 1.Michael THEO (gk), 2.Matthew SMITH (c), 3.Shane STEFANUTTO, 5.Ivan FRANJIC, 10.HENRIQUE, 12.Julius DOE, 13.Jade NORTH, 14.Diogo FERREIRA, 15.James DONACHIE, 17.Matt McKAY, 18.Luke BRATTAN, 19.Jack HINGERT, 29.Matthew ACTON (gk), 22.Thomas BROICH, 23.Dimitri PETRATOS, 26.Corey BROWN, 28.Brandon BORRELLO, 29.Kwame YEBOAH *Two to be omitted*
Ins: Julius DOE (promoted), Diogo FERREIRA (promoted), Brandon BORRELLO (promoted)
Out: Liam MILLER (calf – two weeks)
Unavailable: Besart BERISHA (hamstring – one week), George LAMBADARDIS (knee – season)
Melbourne Heart FC squad: 1.Andrew REDMAYNE (GK), 3.Robbie WIELAERT, 5.Sam MITCHINSON, 6.Patrick GERHARDT, 7.Iain RAMSAY, 8.Massimo MURDOCCA, 10.Harry Kewell (Captain), 11.Michael MIFSUD, 14.Golgol MEBRAHTU, 15.David WILLIAMS, 16.Aziz BEHICH, 17.Jason HOFFMAN, 19.Benjamin GARUCCIO, 20.Tando VELAPHI (GK), 21.Stefan MAUK, 22.Nick KALMAR, 23.Mate DUGANDZIC, 25.Andrea MIGLIORINI *Two to be omitted*
Ins: 10.Harry KEWELL (returns from injury), 5.Sam MITCHINSON (promoted), 19.Benjamin GARUCCIO (promoted), 22.Nick KALMAR (promoted)
Outs: 28.Paulo RETRE (omitted), 24.Patrick KISNORBO (knee – 3 weeks)
Unavailable: 4.Orlando ENGELAAR (Fractured tibia – long-term), 9.Dylan MACALLISTER (Hamstring – 3-5 weeks), 13.Jonatan GERMANO (Hamstring – three weeks)
