Gold Coast United’s Round 15 goal scorer Steve Fitzsimmons could be set for a stint on the sidelines after suffering a suspected hernia against Adelaide United on Friday.
Fitzsimmons put his side in front with a 64th minute header but was taken from the pitch nine minutes later.
At this stage the club are unsure of the seriousness of the midfielder’s injury but coach Miron Bleiberg said it would be an obvious blow to the team if he was to miss matches in the coming weeks.
“I didn’t realise but he got a knock and he got a little tennis ball in his groin area, that’s why we thought maybe it was a hernia,” he said.
“He didn’t feel much but he was scared, that’s why I took him off.”
“The funny thing is as a football coach, whether I’m happy about the points or sad, the first thing that struck my mind is what I’m going to do next week.”
“I’m to become short in stock because Pantelidis was out so I played the young gun, now Kristian Rees is out, if any of you volunteer to play just put your hands up.”
Rees’ red card and Fitzsimmons’ setback could see Gold Coast enter its next clash against Melbourne Victory undermanned.
Bleiberg may pluck another player from the National Youth League as he did with debutant Zac Anderson on Friday.
Bleiberg said he was happy with the tall teenager’s efforts in a tough initiation.
“I think that’s the aim of having the youth team. He was outstanding in the youth team so you pick the guy from the youth team,” he said.
“I think he was cool and calculated, he’s a strong boy … when you play against Adelaide you’ve got all these giants that come in for set pieces and good delivery on set pieces so I thought we needed a giant.”
“I don’t know if he’ll play next week but that’s the situation. I took him off not because he played bad just because someone mentioned to me a got a yellow card in the first half.”
Meanwhile, a generous Bleiberg said ‘justice prevailed’ after the Gold Coast and Adelaide played out a draw at Hindmarsh Stadium.
“Obviously if you consider a goal in extra time you feel bad … but I feel sorry for the boys. How do I know that I feel sorry for them – because they came to the dressing room and there was no singing that we won a point, it was like a funeral,” he said.
“Had we won the three points I would’ve come in and given you a speech of how sorry I felt for Adelaide.”
