Veteran striker Sasho Petrovski has sounded a warning that he will be pushing for a starting spot in the Newcastle Jets line-up after scoring the winning goal for the club in its last two outings.
Petrovski came off the bench to score the final goal against the Gold Coast and the North Queensland Fury to help Newcastle to 3-2 wins over their northern opponents, the latter in his 100th Hyundai A-League match.
“It is nice to notch up a milestone and it is another highlight in my career and I am just very pleased that the team was able to get the win and keep climbing the ladder,” he said.
“We will be trying to build on the four wins that we have clocked up and try to get as many wins as possible. In this league if you get on a good run and win consecutive games you give yourself a real shot at getting up there and winning the league or the Championship.”
Petrovski, who joined the Jets from the Mariners at the end of the last A-League season admitted he had a less than desirable start to this campaign due to the fact that he was below par in the fitness stakes after Newcastle’s hectic Asian Champions League campaign in the off-season.
However, the 34-year-old said he is now at peak fitness and keen to press his claims for a starting berth given the fact that striker Michael Bridges and marquee player Fabio Vignaroli are currently sidelined through injury.
“With Fabio being out and Bridgey being out, both of whom are massive players and experienced boys, there is an opportunity for someone else to step in and whether it is myself or someone else, it is there to be taken,” he said.
“So it is within the player. If they are ready and capable then go out and show it.”
“You need to believe in yourself and do it because they have been doing it all season up until now – it is a great time of the year to be playing and be involved so you have to take that opportunity.”
Newcastle coach Branko Culina welcomed the news Petrovski is champing at the bit to get back into the starting line-up as it helps create competition for spots which brings out the best performance in each individual.
“I am absolutely delighted because Sash was on the outer,” Culina said of Petrvoski. “When I say on the outer he certainly wasn’t getting as much game time as he would like and it was touch and go a few weeks ago whether I would pick him or one of the younger players.”
“But when you’ve got an experienced player like Sash who can score goals, you have to look at the things he can do rather than the things he can’t do – that is the way we have made sure he is part of our plans and a vital part of our recovery.”
