Brisbane skipper Craig Moore has added plenty of spice to Saturday night’s Hyundai A-League clash against Melbourne Victory, firing a few pointed barbs in the direction of former Roar winger Robbie Kruse.
Kruse started his career in Brisbane and played for the Roar in the opening five rounds of the 2009/10 season, but was promptly snapped up by the Victory after his short-term deal ran its course in September.
Moore hit out at the 20-year-old on Thursday, questioning his fitness and alleged lack of defensive pressure, before declaring his teammates will be out to ensure the livewire enjoys a tough time of it at Etihad Stadium on the weekend.
Kruse overcame a groin injury to play as a substitute in the Victory’s successful journey to the Gold Coast last weekend, but Moore believed the youngster was a long way off full fitness.
“I had to laugh, because I was listening to the commentary and they were saying it was the fittest they had seen Robbie Kruse for some time,” Moore said.
“And yet after every action that he’d taken part in, he looked as if he was breathing out of his backside to be honest.”
“I had a little chuckle.”
Moore’s critique of his former teammate did not stop there.
“He’s very good, he’s one of the best with the ball and going forward.”
“But what he does when he loses it is, that’s a part of his game that he definitely needs to work on.”
“If he plays, he knows it will be a competitive game for him, he knows that all the boys will be right up against him and definitely letting him know that he’s in a game.”
The central defender, who was named in the Qantas Socceroos squad for upcoming matches against the Netherlands and Oman after a seven-month absence, was however less flippant when talking about the challenge of taking on one of the form sides of the competition.
“They’ve got players that can score. They’ve got a great leader in Kevin Muscat – his distribution, and ability to get them started from the back is an asset for them.”
“(Carlos) Hernandez is – well we’ve all seen what he can do and the goals he has scored this season.”
“That (Hernandez’s goal against United last weekend) would have been goal of the week in any league in the world I think.”
Moore was ultimately confident his side could claim the three points in a high-stakes battle that pits fifth against sixth.
“They’re very lively up front, but I’m confident if you limit the supply to Archie Thompson, you keep Hernandez quiet and you limit Kevin Muscat’s distribution – I believe you do stop Melbourne.”
“That’s easy for me to say that, you need to put that into practice … but if you do that, you do stop Melbourne, and you get a result.”
