Pre Season Challenge: New Zealand Knights v Central Coast Mariners Match Thread

[Ray Nolan]

All discussion for the Group B Pre Season Challenge match between New Zealand Knights & Central Coast Mariners may be posted on this thread. It will be stickied until next Tuesday.

 

[Ray Nolan]

Knights are having trouble putting a team together it seems:

ADSHEAD NAMES STARTING XI – BUT ONLY JUST

Friday 5 August 2005

NZ Knights Manager John Adshead has named his starting XI to play the Central Coast Mariners in a Hyundai A-League Pre-Season Cup fixture at North Harbour Stadium on Saturday night, a job made easy by the dearth of fit or available players.

The good news for Adshead is the first sighting of midfielder Josh Maguire, fit after a frustrating three weeks out with a calf strain. The return of Maquire is about the only news likely to bring a smile to the affable ‘gaffer’ though, with the squad decimated by injury, illness and suspension, something that has frustrated the normally philosophical Manager.

“I am thrilled that we will at last get to see Josh (Maquire) play, albeit he is unlikely to last the entire match,” said Adshead. It is though an important opportunity for him after an annoying three weeks with an injury that has taken longer than expected to recover from.

“This boy can play and once he finds match fitness, will do good things for us in midfield. Otherwise though I must admit to frustration this week with players unavailable for a variety of reasons and consequently I cannot name a bench, other than Jeremy Brockie and Glen Moss.”

Adshead will delay naming the final players to the bench until match day, allowing the medical team to complete final checks on a number of players, including Frank van Eijs who cried off sick today at training. Darren Bazeley is still not 100% with his knee, Zenon Carravella likewise and Simon Yeo has not trained all week due to a groin strain. Naoki Imaya is training lightly and ahead of time after his broken leg but is still at least a month away from a return.

Maguire though is pleased to finally get a chance to play in a competitive match for his new club.

“No one likes injuries, especially when you are part of a new club and looking to impress a new manager. I am looking forward to getting a run tomorrow but will obviously be off the pace a little with my fitness having suffered over the past few weeks.

“It is important that I don’t try and do too much early on and settle into the match knowing that we have three weeks to work hard before the start of the league proper.”

Xiaobin Zhang gets a chance up front, partnering Sean Devine to form the 3rd different strike pairing in three matches with Noah Hickey unlikely to feature after turning his ankle in last week’s loss to Queensland.

Player profiles can be found at www.knightsfc.com

NZ Knights FC v Central Coast Mariners
Saturday 6th August
North Harbour Stadium
KO 7.00pm

NZ Knights: D Milosevic (gk); C Tinkler, J Tambouras, N Emblen, R Bull, S Fitzsimmons, J Maguire, B Collett, J Rose, S Devine, X Zhang.

Subs: G Moss, J Brockie + 2 TBC

 

[Ray Nolan]

LATE INJURY FORCES KWASNIK OUT OF CRUCIAL KNIGHTS MATCH UP

Thursday 4 August 2005

Former youth international Adam Kwasnik is a late withdrawal from the Central Coast Mariners squad to face the New Zealand Knights in Auckland this weekend, after suffering a knee injury at the Mariners final training session today.

Central Coast Mariners coach Lawrie McKinna has made just the one other change to the squad that played Sydney FC at Central Coast Stadium last Saturday, replacing suspended midfielder John Hutchinson (pictured right) with fellow flanker Damien Brown.

Hutchinson misses the match after collecting his second yellow card in as many matches against Sydney FC at Central Coast Stadium last Saturday.

NSL Championship winning defender Paul O’Grady replaces Kwasnik in the squad of 15.

Coach McKinna lamented the loss of one of his most exciting attacking options, which is likely to keep him from the playing pitch for at least a fortnight.

“Kwasnik’s injury is a bad blow to the boy, considering he missed the Club World Championship qualifiers also,” said McKinna.

“However, Browny and Stringers (O’Grady) come into the squad now, which is another opportunity for them.”

The Mariners need to claim at least a point from their sojourn across the Tasman to have a hope of qualifying for the final four, with the result of Queensland’s clash with Sydney FC in Cairns also crucial to the Mariners progression hopes.

The New Zealand Knights are playing for pride, having returned convincing losses from their first two outings away to Sydney FC (1-3) and at home to the Roar (0-5)

The Knights squad, coached by 1982 All Whites World Cup hero John Adshead, is brimming with experienced lower-league English talent, such as Darren Bazeley, Ronnie Bull, Sean Devine, Neil Emblen, Simon Yeo and Xiaobin Zhang.

Add to the mix Australian NSL campaigners Zenon Caravella, Steve Fitzsimmons, John Tambouras and Joshua Rose and the Knights squad is indeed a formidable one and one that McKinna expects to be hell bent on forcing a result on Saturday.

“They’ve had a couple of bad results, but we’re certainly wary of what a quality side they are capable of becoming,” said McKinna.

“No side wants to lose twice in a row in front of their home fans and we’re absolutely not expecting an easy ride over there.”

The Mariners touring party will depart for Auckland tomorrow morning.

Central Coast Mariners squad to play New Zealand Knights at North Harbour Stadium – 6 August: 1. John Crawley (gk), 2. Wayne O’Sullivan, 3. Paul O’Grady, 4. Noel Spencer, 5. Michael Beauchamp, 6. Andre Gumprecht, 8. Dean Heffernan, 9. Nick Mrdja, 10. Tom Pondeljak, 11. Damien Brown, 12. Stewart Petrie, 15. Andrew Clark, 17. Matthew Osman, 18. Alex Wilkinson, 20. Danny Vukovic (gk)

The only way for Central Coast fans not travelling to New Zealand to keep up to date with happenings throughout the match is to log on to www.ccmariners.com.au, where a live match update will commence from 5.00pm Eastern Standard Time.