Adelaide United head coach Carl Veart insisted his side will not stray from their “principles” and “attacking football” as the Reds look to maintain the club’s unbeaten start to the 2024-25 Isuzu UTE A-League season.
High-flying Adelaide welcome Western Sydney Wanderers to Coopers Stadium on Friday night amid their best start to the season since 2010-11.
The last unbeaten team standing this term, second-placed Adelaide have gone eight games without defeat heading into Round 10. Only 14 years ago have they enjoyed a better start after kicking off the 2010-11 campaign with an 11-match undefeated streak.
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After comparisons to Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham in the Premier League and whether there is a “Plan B” in Adelaide, Veart replied: “Look, I think we’ve shown over the years we want to always be playing entertaining football, attacking football.
“We can do that in the A-League. Yes, we’re trying to develop our younger players for the next step in their careers and that’s about pressure. It’s about playing at that high level consistently. We won’t step away from that.
“We’re not going to change our principles. At this stage, we’re going to keep playing the brand of football we’ve played since I’ve been here.”
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Meanwhile, Veart also heaped praise on the mindset of talented Adelaide attacker Yaya Dukuly.
Dukuly has featured in Adelaide’s past two matches – scoring once, having not appeared in the A-Leagues this season prior to the 4-0 rout of defending champions Central Coast Mariners on December 13.
The 21-year-old, who scored once in four Australia Cup matches this season – has had to be patient in pursuit of playing time after returning to Adelaide from French club Reims in 2023-24.
“He is a perfect example to all our young boys,” Veart said.
“Yaya did well in the Australia Cup early. Then we got some players back, they got fit and he didn’t have the opportunity but he didn’t drop his head. He kept working hard and pushing to get his opportunity.
“The kids that do that get rewarded. We found an opportunity to give him an opportunity, and he’s taken it.
“That’s all we can ask of the young players. He’s shown the perfect example of that – working hard and getting that opportunity.”
