Gold Coast United coach Miron Bleiberg remained in philosophical mood despite seeing his side again suffer late defeat at the hands of Sydney FC on Sunday.
Gold Coast United coach Miron Bleiberg remained in philosophical mood despite seeing his side again suffer late defeat at the hands of Sydney FC on Sunday.
Although it was a point lost after Sydney substitute Bruno Cazarine headed home an 89th-minute winner, the Gold Coast mentor was relaxed post-match bemoaning the lack of experience in his side but saying there is cause for optimism for the Hyundai A-League’s bottom club.
With nine of United’s 15 squad members 21 years of age or under for the visit to Sydney, Bleiberg said Gold Coast were a “team of the future”.
“We had a lack of experience, and when I say experience it means when you lead you know to protect it, when you are 1-0 down you know how to overcome it,” said Bleiberg.
“But with a young team like ours … if the situation was reversed Sydney FC wouldn’t let the lead get away.”
Ben Halloran set Gold Coast on the path to victory with a goal 10 minutes after the interval, only for Karol Kisel to restore parity with the Slovakian then setting up Cazarine for a dramatic finale.
The goal came after Ante Rozic elected to come off with stomach cramps, with the central defender one of United’s stand-outs on the day.
“Ante Rozic was unbeaten in the air and he was a tower of strength and 10 minutes before the end he had to take a toilet break and I put Dylan McGowan in,” said Bleiberg.
“It was a duel between an experienced striker and a young player… I believe if Rozic is still there we wouldn’t have conceded.”
The match proved to be a carbon copy of Gold Coast’s last visit to Sydney when the Sky Blues scored a late comeback victory in November.
Indeed Sydney’s only two wins at the Sydney Football Stadium this season have come against United.
It won’t get any easier for Gold Coast in their next hit-out with runaway leaders Central Coast Mariners visiting Skilled Park next Friday.
Despite sitting at the bottom of the ladder, Bleiberg says there is only a fine line between his team and the remainder of the competition.
“Our season, except for one game, has been losing by one goal,” he said. “Either we are leading and we lose it, or we are 1-0 behind and we don’t know how to come back.”
“We are a team of the future. We are not such a bad side and we never get beaten by more than one goal so we are very competitive but we are losing games so we are bottom of the ladder.”
“If you look at a team like Phoenix, they are the new hit. Their players may be 30 and over but they have the experience, and know how to win 1-0, 1-0, 1-0, and that is why they are where they are.”
“How the Phoenix will look in two years time I don’t know, Gold Coast United is a team of the future.”
“That’s our luck this season but in the end it should all balance out from upstairs,” said a smiling Bleiberg looking to the heavens.
“Now we get pay back, watch us next year.”
