Perth defender Chris Coyne is battling time to be fit for the Glory’s big clash with Brisbane Roar on Sunday afternoon.
Coyne has picked up a slight hamstring injury and did not train on Friday morning, his coach David Mitchell saying the rest was precautionary in an effort to get the central defender over the line for a vital home game ahead of two matches on the road.
Coyne and fellow centre-half Andy Todd have been outstanding over the last month, their efforts contributing to the Glory conceding just one goal from three games, including clashes with goal-scoring machines Wellington and Central Coast on their own turfs.
Mitchell is hopeful Coyne will take his place, but is prepared if he doesn’t, bringing Jamie Harnwell back into the squad after a nine-round absence with a serious knee injury, ironically sustained in a 4-2 away win over the Roar back in Round 7.
“We want to make sure that Chris is available for Sunday and by resting (him), it was the right thing to do,” Mitchell said on Friday.
“It’s just a precaution and you know while he can rest, (we thought he should) take the rest.”
Mitchell said regardless of Coyne’s fitness, Harnwell would not be thrust directly back into the action after such a long absence, saying the 32-year-old would be used off the bench.
But if Chris Coyne doesn’t play then his brother Jamie will probably partner Todd in the middle, with Scott Neville possibly used as an option at right full-back.
“If Chris doesn’t pull through then obviously Jamie, he won’t play, but he’ll be on the bench if needed,” Mitchell said.
The Roar have injury issues of their own, having lost three player from the team that thrashed Wellington 4-1 last week.
Matt McKay is out for three matches with a quad injury while coach Ange Postecoglou ruled out Reinaldo and Danny Tiatto on Friday morning, the pair both suffering hamstring complaints.
Reinaldo scored a brace against the Phoenix and his attacking threat will be missed, but the Roar boss regained instrumental midfielder Henrique for this game after the Brazilian served a one-match ban for earning a red card in the Round 15 loss to Melbourne.
With Brisbane forwards Sergio van Dijk and Tommy Oar also in good touch, Coyne’s potential absence could not have come at a worse time, particularly as a win for the seventh-placed Roar would take the Queenslanders to equal points with the fifth-placed Glory.
Mitchell, though, is confident his side can maintain its good run of form at home, the Glory only having lost three Hyundai A-League matches at ME Bank Stadium since the start of 2008-09.
“You know the League’s that tight, so it’s important that when you play at home that you win,” Mitchell said.
“The good thing is we hadn’t beaten Brisbane before up there and when we went up there, we beat them,” he added referring to the Round 7 win over the Roar.
“So it’s setting a trend that we’re confident we can beat anyone either at home or away and we’ve just got to maintain that.”
