An angry Ange Postecoglou has put Melbourne Victory through a brutal training session ahead of their crucial encounter against his old side Brisbane Roar on Saturday night.
An angry Ange Postecoglou has put Melbourne Victory through a brutal training session ahead of their crucial encounter against his old side Brisbane Roar on Saturday night.
Both the Roar and Victory will take losing form into the grudge match at Suncorp Stadium after respective losses to Perth Glory and Melbourne Heart on the Hyundai A-League’s opening weekend.
Postecoglou stood abruptly in the middle of Gosch’s Paddock for most of Victory’s high-tempo training session on Tuesday as assistant coaches viciously barked instructions at the players.
Striker Danny Allsopp said Postecoglou’s mood reflected the frame of mind he had been in since Friday night’s 2-1 loss to Heart.
“It was punishing. That has been standard for us in pre-season,” Allsopp told reporters.
“He was obviously disappointed and said the same things to the supporters as he did to us.
“He made his message after the game loud and clear and the boys have taken it pretty tough. They are hurting because (the loss) didn’t really reflect the work we put in over the off-season.”
The perfect way to get back in Postecoglou’s good books would be to snare three points against the A-League title holders.
But it will be a difficult task for a team who will lose Archie Thompson, Mark Milligan and Marco Rojas to international duty.
“It’s also going to be warmer up there than what it is in Melbourne. There are no easy games in the A-League so we have to be ready,” Allsopp said.
“There will probably be two angry sides out on the field.”
After coming on as the first substitute against Heart, Allsopp and fellow attacker Theo Markelis are likely to come into Postecoglou’s starting front third as replacements for Thompson and Rojas.
Allsopp plans to use the Roar match to cement his position in the starting 11.
“Everyone wants to play as much as they can. I will try to play to my strengths and not think too much about the week after,” he said.
