North Queensland Fury midfielder Paul Kohler says the red card he received in the draw against the Brisbane Roar is in the past, despite it causing him to sit out the Fury’s historic first ever victory.
The 30-year-old copped two yellow cards in as many minutes during the Fury’s 1-1 draw with the Brisbane Roar in round five at Dairy Farmers Stadium two weeks ago.
But he says it won’t change his attacking attitude to the game.
“I think it might have been a little bit soft,” Kohler said.
“It’s a little bit disappointing when you do get a red card whether it be right or wrong … but it’s in the past, things like that happen in football so I’ve put it behind me,” he said.
“If I get my chance to play on the weekend I’ll just play my normal game and hopefully that (red card) doesn’t happen again.”
Kohler had been in good form prior to the suspension, earning a start against the Roar.
Now, after sitting out as his team performed solidly, he’s got to prove to his coach Ian Ferguson that he deserves his place.
“I don’t think … that I’ll be starting (against Wellington) I think I’ll be most likely on the bench. But I think if I come on and do my job I’m sure he’ll (Ferguson) reward me for it,” Kohler said.
The Fury has taken sixteen men across the Tasman.
They’ll train in New Zealand before Ferguson narrows down the squad.
“We’re taking an extra man over there with us so we’ve got a few options,” Ferguson said.
“We’ll see how everyone pulls up with the travelling and the training and then we’ll decide on the team, but it’s going to be more or less the same team” he said.
The Phoenix sit just one point above the Fury on the competition ladder.
If North Queensland can bring home three points and other results go their way, they can surge as high as equal fourth.
“I don’t look that far ahead,” Ferguson said.
“I just look at what we’ve got to do because you sometimes rely on results and it never happens and at the end of the day it’s in our own hands to get of the bottom of the league and that’s what we’re looking for.”
