Gold Coast coach Miron Bleiberg has called for the local supporters to come out in droves for this weekend’s ‘free’ clash with the Central Coast Mariners at Skilled Stadium.
Bleiberg made the comment at Wednesday night’s 2-0 loss to the Jets that the Newcastle crowd had helped the home side get over the line.
And with GCU owner Clive Palmer opening the gates for free entry for this Sunday’s game, the enigmatic coach hopes a huge throng turns up.
“I think the crowd did a very good job for Newcastle – it looked like 8,000 but it sounded like 20,000,” Bleiberg said.
“It made me jealous because I hope we have the same crowd this Sunday to make the same amount of noise for our players.”
“We have never benefitted from this type of crowd, so hopefully that will carry us.”
“There was not much between the two teams. But I think the crowd was carrying them and they kept going and going and going and then even with 10 men you didn’t feel as if it was 10 men because they kept going.”
Bleiberg also said inspirational skipper Jason Culina will more than likely return to the squad after missing Wednesday night’s game with a knee injury.
Joel Porter is likely to win a starting berth after coming on in the first half of Wednesday night’s match against the Jets.
