Amongst all the hoopla set to unfold ahead of Saturday night’s inaugural southeast Queensland Hyundai A-League derby featuring Brisbane Roar and Gold Coast United, Roar skipper Craig Moore is focusing on one clear goal: a successful start to the season.
It is no big surprise to hear Moore wants to ruin United’s opening Hyundai A-League appearance and take the three points, but the Qantas Socceroos defender’s motivation to do so is a little more unexpected.
Moore, who played in plenty of spirited derbies in his time with Scottish outfit Rangers, admitted bragging rights would be fantastic – but believed there was a much bigger issue at stake rather than downing the A-League newcomers.
The Roar have traditionally been one of the slowest starters in the competition – their 2008/09 campaign saw the men in orange pocket just one win from the opening five rounds.
Brisbane also needed six games at Suncorp Stadium before claiming a breakthrough win at home in Round 12 last year.
It is a trend that Moore will be looking to arrest when he takes the field this weekend.
“We’re at home and it’s a game that we’ll be desperate to go out there and win and try and get off to a good start, because in our previous two seasons we have been slow starters,” Moore said.
“My focus is completely within our own group and what’s happening at the Roar, I’m not really too concerned about what is happening down at the Gold Coast.”
“I know that if we go about our jobs and approach the game in the right manner then, especially at home, we can come out with the right result and that’s all I’m focused on.”
Last season Moore famously called United coach Miron Bleiberg a ‘clown’ due to a row over some comments in the press, but the veteran was keen to play a straight bat on Tuesday.
“That was something that was said a while ago and there was nothing personal in it,” he said.
“The media got a few miles out of it and I suppose that creates (hype) for this type of game as well.”
The Roar’s pre-season campaign has been disrupted by injury to key personnel and the Young Socceroos’ tour to Argentina, but Moore said his squad was now primed to take on its new rivals.
“It’s been a very long pre-season and in the last week things have picked up and that’s been good,” he said.
“Coming up to the start of the season where points are at stake and performances must be at their best – you need to see that level of training.”
“What we have done so far this week I’m sure has put us in a good position come Saturday evening.”
Gold Coast United assistant coach Paul Okon pointed to an extensive pre-season when asked whether he had any concerns about fluency within his new side.
“I think we’ve played close to 18 or 20 games leading up to this game, and we’ve played the Fury, we’ve played Fulham, the Mariners and Perth … we’ve played against some decent teams,” Okon said.
“That aspect that we are a new team and a new bunch of players, I don’t think will have any negative effect on us going into the first game.”
