Gold Coast United owner Clive Palmer has continued to voice high expectations for his side’s inaugural Hyundai A-League season, declaring the competition’s newcomers will go through the 2009/10 season undefeated.
Palmer, speaking at the official announcement of United’s marquee signing Jason Culina, was at first greeted with laughter from the sizeable media contingent when he announced his bold outlook for next season.
“We have a unique opportunity to remain undefeated in winning the A-League and that’s what our new goal is now,” Palmer said.
Palmer’s remarkable statement resulted in a look of shock from the man sitting next to him, stunned United coach Miron Bleiberg.
“Have I turned white or am I my natural colour?” Bleiberg joked.
Palmer was laughing at the time too, but showed he was dead serious when later quizzed by the media about his play to win mantra.
“We haven’t played a game yet, so we’re undefeated at the moment, we don’t want to lose a game in the coming season, we want to go through and win it, that’s why we’re in it,” he said.
“Why are we in the comp, what’s competition about?”
Palmer, who stated Gold Coast would win the premiership in its inaugural season last year, believed he had the troops to accomplish the exceptionally difficult task.
“No matter how hard we try, I think it’ll be hard for that team to get beaten next year, they’ll certainly find it high to get beaten if they’ve got me as chairman,” he said.
“I don’t care what anyone thinks.”
Bleiberg admitted Palmer had raging expectations, but was not at all concerned by them.
“The bar is getting higher and higher, next one will be to win the World Championship,” he joked.
“If you’re not aiming high, you never achieve.”
“Clive and I, lucky for me, we have a very good understanding and he shares my sense of humour and we have the same sense of honesty.”
