Newcastle coach Branko Culina is hoping the North Queensland Fury will do the Jets a massive favour and help them snatch an unlikely Hyundai A-League finals berth ahead of the Wellington Phoenix.
The make-up of the top six will come right down to the last day of the regular season this Sunday when the Phoenix host the Fury and the Jets travel to the Central Coast to take on the Mariners.
The Jets, sitting on 35 points, must beat their F3 derby rivals and hope the Fury can upset the Phoenix, who are currently on 38 points on the A-League table.
“I said last week after we had played Sydney that I was an optimistic but also a realist but we are certainly doing everything we can to make sure, if nothing else, we give Wellington a bit of a scare.” Culina said after the resounding 4-0 win over Perth on Thursday night.
“It will keep them thinking for the next few days and the four goals we scored tonight certainly puts us back in the frame.”
“Of course the Fury have to win over there to square it all up and it is a little bit disappointing to have to rely on someone else – it would be different if we just had to win to know if we go through.”
“But nothing will change we will make sure we enjoy the next couple of days and really give it everything we have. If it is meant to be it will be and if it is not, but I still want the players to finish their campaign with pride and set ourselves up for next year.”
Due to the fact the Phoenix play Sunday’s game in Wellington at 3pm AEDT and the Jets play two hours later on the Central Coast the Newcastle club will know their fate before they run out against the Mariners.
Culina said he won’t try to keep the Phoenix-Fury result from his players.
“I think every player is different if I was playing I think I would like to know. Then there are others who shut off and focus on the game, but we owe them one because we they beat us here,” Culina said.
“The players don’t normally watch the other games anyway but we’ve got a job to do and hopefully we might have a little bit of luck, which hasn’t been on our side this side, if the Fury can make it difficult for Wellington, and we have to get the win against the Mariners.”
The Jets coach said he would not be telling his players anything different when they take on the Mariners on Sunday.
“I will be as it was tonight: go out there, relax, have fun and keep the dream alive,” he said.
“It is out of our hands and when it is out of our hands it is difficult but having said that we will give it everything we have.”
“I am so proud of the players and the club to do what we have done in difficult circumstances when everyone had written us off.”
