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Wellington Phoenix v Gold Coast United Sunday 25th Oct

Wellington Phoenix v Gold Coast United  Sunday 25th Oct

FOR the first time this season Gold Coast United Head Coach, Miron Bleiberg, has the luxury of the same 15 players to choose from if he decides to field an unchanged line-up for his side’s trip to Wellington this weekend.

After weeks of forced changes through injuries, international commitments and suspensions, Bleiberg can begin to plan for the kind of cohesive performance he sought in last week’s 2-1 win over Perth Glory.

“It’s a big advantage to have the same players available for once and I’m not expecting to make too many changes to the starting team,” said the Gold Coast Head Coach.

“Any minor alterations we make this week will be based on our preferred tactical approach to the game,” he added.

Gold Coast travelled to New Zealand today (Friday) with last week’s 15-man squad, plus utility player Matt Osman returns to the senior squad after impressing in the Youth Team last Saturday.

The two teams met just three weeks ago (round 9), playing out a 0-0 draw at Skilled Park as United dragged themselves out of an indifferent patch of form.

Since then, Gold Coast have won their last two fixtures, but Phoenix have continued their sequence of drawn matches, a run that now stretches to six consecutive stalemates.

According to Bleiberg, Wellington’s results are not a true reflection of the standard of their performances, but he says New Zealand’s upcoming World Cup qualifying game against Bahrain (14 November) could act as a distraction in their next few fixtures, such is the magnitude of the match.

“At the end of the round nine game I was happy that we finished 0-0 because Wellington did well and were the better team for long periods of the match,” he said.

“This game will be slightly different though because there is no doubt the World Cup qualifier will be in the back of their minds now; it’s only natural because it’s such a big game.

“It’s the biggest game in the history of New Zealand football because of what is at stake. If the All Whites qualify for the 2010 World Cup Finals in South Africa, it will be fantastic for football in the region and fantastic for the Hyundai A-League because we will have more representation there.”

Returning to Wellington for the first time since he signed for Gold Coast United is ten-goal striker and New Zealand international, Shane Smeltz.

Smeltz was back on the scoresheet again last week, hitting the winner against Perth Glory, but was marshalled to such an extent in the round nine encounter against his former club that he barely caught sight of the goal.

The 28-year-old hit-man is not expecting his international team-mates to give him an easy ride this time around either, despite the vital role he is due to play in his nation’s World Cup aspirations.

“The Wellington boys are always going to play hard and fair so I’m not expecting anything different this week,” Smeltz said.

“We’re all professionals and have to take each game as it comes. The World Cup qualifier in a few weeks’ time is a massive game, but you can’t lose sight of what you have to do for your club.

“Football (in New Zealand) is probably reaching its highest point in terms of the profile, because we’re approaching what is going to be the biggest game in the history of the sport in New Zealand.

“Qualification can only help the code along further and with the current interest I wouldn’t be surprised if there were a few more people at the game this weekend.”

Smeltz added that there would be no repeat of the ‘flat’ performance that resulted in the 0-0 stalemate when the teams last met.

“Wellington try to get stuck into you from the very first minute and like the physical side of the game, so we have to be prepared for that this time.

“I think we were fairly flat when we played them recently (in round 9) and there are a number of things we need to improve on. We’re up for it though. We are top of the league and we want to stay there,” he said.

Hyundai A-League Round 12 - Sunday 25 October 2009
WELLINGTON PHOENIX v GOLD COAST UNITED
At Westpac Stadium, Wellington
Kick-off: 2.00pm (Qld), 5.00pm (local), 3.00pm (AEDT).
Referee: Peter O'Leary

Live & exclusive broadcast on Fox Sports 1 and Sky Sports 1. Hyundai A-League club broadcast partner is The Radio Network 1035 AM (Wellington). To purchase tickets visit www.ticketek.com

Gold Coast United Squad:
1.Jess VANSTRATTAN (gk), 2.Steve PANTELIDIS, 3.Michael THWAITE, 5.ROBSON, 7.Zenon CARAVELLA, 9.Shane SMELTZ, 10.Jason CULINA (c), 11.MILSON, 13.Bas VAN DEN BRINK, 14.Joel PORTER, 15.Tahj MINNIECON, 16.Kristian REES, 17.Matt OSMAN, 23.Steve FITZSIMMONS, 24.ANDERSON, 20.Scott HIGGINS (gk).
*one to be omitted*
In: Matt OSMAN (promoted).
Out: Nil
Unavailable: JEFFERSON (knee injury – 1 week), Daniel PIORKOWSKI (ankle injury – 6 weeks), Richard GREER (groin injury – 4 weeks), Adama TRAORE (knee injury – 7 weeks).

Wellington Phoenix squad:
1.Mark PASTON (gk), 2.Manny MUSCAT, 3.Tony LOCHHEAD, 6.Tim BROWN, 7.Leo BERTOS, 8.Paul IFILL, 9.Chris GREENACRE, 10.Michael FERRANTE, 11.DANIEL, 12.Jiang CHEN, 13.Troy HEARFIELD, 14.Adrian CACERES, 17.Vince LIA, 18.Ben SIGMUND, 20.Reece CROWTHER (gk), 21.Marco ROJAS, 22.Andrew DURANTE (c), 23.Costa BARBAROUSES
*three to be omitted*
In: Adrian CACERES (return from injury), Marco ROJAS (promoted), Costa BARBAROUSES (promoted)
Out: Nil
Unavailable: Jon McKAIN (quad – 1 week), DIEGO (illness – 1 week)