Coach Rini Coolen has played down the drama at Adelaide United over the last week and denied any turbulence within the Reds squad ahead of their knockout final against Gold Coast United on Sunday.
Paul Reid dramatically declared himself unavailable for the Reds 1-0 win over Wellington in week one of the finals after his request to join Sydney FC for their AFC Champions League campaign was rejected.
The 31 year-old was welcomed back at training on Monday but the drama didn’t end there as Brazilian defender Cassio stormed out of Tuesday’s training, saying he was seething at the attitude of a few younger team-mates who he felt lacked commitment to the session.
But, Coolen said the ‘turbulence’ wasn’t felt in the change rooms and the Reds are focussed and ready for Sunday’s clash.
“That’s what the media and the people around us felt,” he said.
“We didn’t feel exactly that way. For us as a team and me as a coach we didn’t feel any turbulent situations and we solved the problem before the week already.”
“There was a small problem with Reidy, there was a real small problem with Cassio but I don’t think there’s any issue for us.”
“We are focussed and we are real professional and we’re definitely ready for this game.”
Coolen said Reid is expected to return to the starting XI alongside Adam Hughes and star playmaker Marcos Flores, despite dynamo midfielder Francisco Usucar recovering from a groin injury.
Vice-captain Lucas Pantelis again misses out, while on the bench, Coolen will have plenty of pace at his disposal in Iain Ramsay and Matthew Leckie – who will be playing his last game at Hindmarsh Stadium before joining German Bundesliga club Borussia Monchengladbach.
“Francisco doesn’t feel anything wrong. He explained there wasn’t any reason for him not to be in the squad,” he said.
“Our midfield has been Hughes, Reid and Flores so we won’t change that. We trained fantastic like that this week.”
“The only negative thing is that Lucas Pantelis is not in the squad and deserves to be in the squad as well the way he trained.”
“Usucar is there to cover the midfield and Robbie Cornthwaite to cover the central defenders if necessary and we have two strikers on the bench and more than likely that will be Ramsay and Leckie.”
