Adelaide United midfielder Paul Reid has endorsed his coach’s Round 18 cull, believing it’ll keep the rest of the players on notice.
Reds boss Aurelio Vidmar has swung the selection axe leaving Mark Rudan, Robbie Cornthwaite, Lucas Pantelis and Adam Hughes out of the line-up.
Reid thinks Rudan is unlucky but said the changes to the side could benefit it in the long run.
“I think it’s a good way to be. If you are not performing you are not going to be in the team. The coaches have said that over the last few weeks, if we are not playing up to our standards then players are going to come in,” he said.
“We’ve got a 22-23 man squad and everyone is fighting for their position so no position is safe and that’s great in a football club, you’ve always got someone behind you ready to step in.”
“That’s going to added incentive for every player.”
Fitness rather than form has been Reid’s problem this year with the midfielder returning to the senior side after a frustrating run with injuries.
“I’ve missed quite a few games this year, I played 60 minutes last week and that will be good for me for this week. I know I’m not up to my peak fitness but obviously the more games I play then the stronger I’m going to become,” he said.
“Hopefully I get through 90 minutes this week and go from there.”
Reid’s knee was heavily strapped during the team’s Friday training session but he insisted that won’t keep him out of the contest against Brisbane Roar on Saturday.
“It is a precaution. In the game last week, there was a strong tackle I had in the first half and I didn’t feel it until the following morning so to be honest I could go without the strapping but the medical staff have said to strap it for the next week … so don’t be alarmed,” he said.
Meanwhile Reid said he’s hopeful a players-only leadership meeting, which was held during the week, will have a positive influence on the group which hasn’t won a match since Round 11.
“When we are in the position that we are, we need to go out there and show a lot more passion, we’ve got to be more courageous and sort of die for the cause,” he added.
