Adelaide United will have a near-full complement to select from heading into Friday night’s crucial home encounter against Gold Coast United at Hindmarsh Stadium.
Paul Reid and Mathew Leckie both rejoined the main group at the squad’s training session on Monday, giving Reds Coach Aurelio Vidmar the chance to field a near full strength side against the Gold Coast.
Central midfielder Reid has only figured once in United’s past eight games due to calf and thigh problems, while the lively and youthful Leckie has recovered from a hamstring strain he suffered against the Central Coast Mariners in Round 13.
“It has been a long time. Obviously I’m looking forward to getting back into it, initially I was just looking forward to getting back into training, but with a good week on the track under my belt, I’ll hopefully put my name up for selection for Friday,” Reid said.
Throwing Reid straight back into the fray after having so little football in the past two months could be a risk for Vidmar, however there is reason to suggest Reid’s experience would be a plus for the Reds on Friday night.
Leckie has fully recovered from his hamstring injury, which kept the highly regarded talent out of the Qantas Young Socceroos’ AFC U-19 Championship 2010 qualifiers in Indonesia.
But with added time to treat the injury due to the FIFA Match Day Break, Leckie is jumping out of his skin to get back into United’s Hyundai A-League side.
“My hamstring feels 100 percent and I’m ready to go,” Leckie said.
“I was disappointed not being able to go away with the Australian Under 19s, but I feel really good now and will be training hard in trying to get my spot back in the first team.”
The FIFA Match Day Break last weekend gave all of the players in United’s squad that were carrying soreness added time to recover, while the break also gave a chance for some to get another solid hit out as they lined up in the National Youth League.
Cassio, Lucas Pantelis, Fabian Barbiero, Lloyd Owusu and Daniel Mullen all played 90 minutes in the Reds’ Youth Team’s 4-4 draw with the AIS on Saturday, while young Hyundai A-League rostered striker Francesco Monterosso also continued his development in the young Reds’ line up.
