Melbourne Victory have suffered a massive blow ahead of travelling west to face Perth Glory, losing key midfielder Carlos Hernandez to a groin injury.
Melbourne Victory have suffered a massive blow ahead of travelling west to face Perth Glory, losing key midfielder Carlos Hernandez to a groin injury.
Hernandez started feeling pain in his groin during last week’s 1-1 draw with Adelaide United, but according to new Victory coach Jim Magilton, the Costa Rican will probably only miss the one match.
“He’s (Hernandez) progressing nicely, we’ll see how he is for next week,” said Magilton after training on Friday.
“He’s under the care of the medical team and we’ll asses it day by day I think. (He injured it) in the game, and to be fair to him, he probably played a little bit longer than probably he should have.”
“But again he wanted to win the game for us, so coming off was the right thing to do, still we’ll see how he goes this week.”
Magilton may make a few more changes to his line-up, the coach saying striker Danny Allsopp was no certainty to start, despite almost scoring on several occasions against Adelaide last Friday night.
Allsopp was spotted at training wearing a different coloured bib to the players that are likely to form the main squad for Sunday’s clash with Perth at nib Stadium, but the coach was keeping his cards close to his chest when it came to revealing his side, although he did say Matthew Kemp may return.
“He may well be,” was Magilton’s answer when asked whether Allsopp was out of the side.
“Again, it’s important to give everybody an opportunity. This week’s been about assessing again the staff, the playing group and just seeing how we go.”
Magilton’s predecessor Mehmet Durakovic previously used the phrase ‘different class’ in reference to Melbourne’s marquee man Harry Kewell.
But in a sign things are somewhat changing, the new coach applied the same phrase to the entire squad on Friday morning.
“All the players have applied themselves terrifically well,” Magilton said. “Their attitude is different class.”
“You’d expect that with a new manager in the building.”
“But the quality has been good, they’ve shown a lot of energy and I think that’s what we’re going to need.”
“Perth, this is their third game in eight days, a tough schedule, so we’ve got to go in and use that as an advantage to us.”
And, with his side enjoying a nine-day break heading into this encounter, Magilton intends to take the game to Perth, despite the Glory enjoying their best run of form for the season with a five-match unbeaten run.
“They’re well organised, very disciplined, they have good players, a real attacking threat,” Magilton said.
“What’s impressed me most about them, was their work ethic in the team’s great and that’s probably why they’re on this unbeaten run.”
“(But) I always go to win, you know, and the team I pick will be a team going out there positive, going out there to get after what is a pretty resolute Perth side.”
“No, I’m going there to win the game.”