Post by Perm on Oct 9, 2007 12:57:09 GMT 10
Its not as suss as the headline suggests.
Mrdja told to grin and bear it
By Tom Smithies
October 09, 2007 CENTRAL Coast coach Lawrie McKinna will try to persuade injured striker Nik Mrdja to play through the pain this weekend as the Mariners bid to maintain their lead at the top of the A-League table.
Mrdja has been missing since the win at Queensland in early September with a flare-up of the knee problems which ruined his past two seasons.
But facing the loss of four centre-backs for Sunday's home fixture with Queensland, McKinna is keen for at least his strike force to be at full strength against a Roar team bolstered by Friday's win over Wellington.
McKinna will test Mrdja at training today and will encourage him to aim for a return to action on Sunday.
"We're working on getting Nik on the park at some stage this weekend hopefully," he said. "He's got a bit of pain in his knee but it's not going to get any worse, so we just have to try to get him through it.
"If we can get him back involved it gives us that extra edge. Last week I was 70/30 that he'd be involved but when he trained on the Tuesday it was too sore.
"If it gets operated on his season's over and the specialist doesn't want to do that."
At the back, McKinna will be missing Tony Vidmar, sitting out the second week of a two-match ban, the injured Alex Wilkinson and Paul O'Grady, and Olyroos-bound Nigel Boogard.
Mile Jedinak and Andrew Clark will be the Mariners' makeshift centre-back pairing, with Matthew Trott deputising in goal for Olyroo Danny Vukovic.
The Coast will be anxious to record a win in the second of two consecutive home fixtures, having squandered the lead on Sunday that would have sent them five points clear at the top.
Overall though, McKinna declared himself happy with the performance in a hard-fought tussle.
"You're in a derby game, it's one v two," he said.
"I remember last season we went to Newcastle and dominated the game but lost 1-0.
"At least in these hard-fought games we're getting results, though to concede a late goal is disappointing.
"It was a great derby atmosphere and the Jets fans came down in numbers," he added, referring to the gauntlet he laid down to the Coast's nearest neighbours to follow their team down the F3.
McKinna will turn his attention today to Sunday's opponents Queensland, well aware of the impact young forwards Michael Zullo and Robbie Kruse had for them in beating Wellington.
Mrdja told to grin and bear it
By Tom Smithies
October 09, 2007 CENTRAL Coast coach Lawrie McKinna will try to persuade injured striker Nik Mrdja to play through the pain this weekend as the Mariners bid to maintain their lead at the top of the A-League table.
Mrdja has been missing since the win at Queensland in early September with a flare-up of the knee problems which ruined his past two seasons.
But facing the loss of four centre-backs for Sunday's home fixture with Queensland, McKinna is keen for at least his strike force to be at full strength against a Roar team bolstered by Friday's win over Wellington.
McKinna will test Mrdja at training today and will encourage him to aim for a return to action on Sunday.
"We're working on getting Nik on the park at some stage this weekend hopefully," he said. "He's got a bit of pain in his knee but it's not going to get any worse, so we just have to try to get him through it.
"If we can get him back involved it gives us that extra edge. Last week I was 70/30 that he'd be involved but when he trained on the Tuesday it was too sore.
"If it gets operated on his season's over and the specialist doesn't want to do that."
At the back, McKinna will be missing Tony Vidmar, sitting out the second week of a two-match ban, the injured Alex Wilkinson and Paul O'Grady, and Olyroos-bound Nigel Boogard.
Mile Jedinak and Andrew Clark will be the Mariners' makeshift centre-back pairing, with Matthew Trott deputising in goal for Olyroo Danny Vukovic.
The Coast will be anxious to record a win in the second of two consecutive home fixtures, having squandered the lead on Sunday that would have sent them five points clear at the top.
Overall though, McKinna declared himself happy with the performance in a hard-fought tussle.
"You're in a derby game, it's one v two," he said.
"I remember last season we went to Newcastle and dominated the game but lost 1-0.
"At least in these hard-fought games we're getting results, though to concede a late goal is disappointing.
"It was a great derby atmosphere and the Jets fans came down in numbers," he added, referring to the gauntlet he laid down to the Coast's nearest neighbours to follow their team down the F3.
McKinna will turn his attention today to Sunday's opponents Queensland, well aware of the impact young forwards Michael Zullo and Robbie Kruse had for them in beating Wellington.