Despite copping a 5-2 hammering the last time Newcastle played Wellington, newly re-signed Jets defender Taylor Regan believes the Phoenix will be the ones who will be worried when the teams meet on Friday night at Ausgrid Stadium.
Despite copping a 5-2 hammering the last time Newcastle played Wellington, newly re-signed Jets defender Taylor Regan believes the Phoenix will be the ones who will be worried when the teams meet on Friday night at Ausgrid Stadium.
Regan fronted the media after a heavy training session on Thursday just hours after the club had announced they had extended the contract of the in-form 23-year-old until the end of the 2013/14 Hyundai A-League season and said that not too much could be read into the massive loss in Wellington last month.
“We always struggle across the ditch but we are at home now and it is a completely different story,” he said.
“We don’t like to lose here and we are trying to make this our own fortress, so I think they are the ones that have to worry.
“It was an off day for us in Wellington, there is not too much more I can say about that. I was an unhappy spectator on the bench that day and it didn’t look good. But I think we have rectified those problems.”
Regan said Newcastle’s recent performances against the Victory and Mariners have been encouraging particularly the defensive efforts, and he said the confidence and consistency gained from those matches have given the team a boost.
“Our defensive record isn’t great and it has been hard with suspensions and injury chopping and changing the line-up,” Regan said.
“But I think we are starting to fine some form. We did well against the Victory except for two unlucky own goals which ‘touch wood’ won’t ever happen again, and we did well against the Mariners and only switched off during a corner.
“So we’ve been quite solid and this Friday if we look to build on what we did down the road (Central Coast) and if we can we will do alright.”
Regan said the contract extension would boost his own game, but admitted he was concentrating on securing selection in the squad each week rather than thinking about any off-field praise.
“To get the Men of Football to get points each week you must be doing something right,” he said.
“But I am only young and I am a week to week proposition so I just worry about making the squad for the next game.
“The contract was a bonus but talking awards at the end of the year is a long shot.
“Your form can change in one week. I just hope to continue doing what I am doing.”
