Reds Coach Rini Coolen knows that in the world of professional football, nothing eases tensions, silences critics or builds confidence more than a win.
Reds Coach Rini Coolen knows that in the world of professional football, nothing eases tensions, silences critics or builds confidence more than a win.
Under the spotlight all week after last Friday-s huge loss in Brisbane, Coolen and the Reds will be determined to right the wrongs against Melbourne Heart on Friday night, and they have reason to be optimistic of making it happen.
Excluding the 2006/07 Grand Final when the Reds went down 6-0 to Melbourne Victory, in the Reds- other two heaviest Hyundai A-League defeats, they have rebounded and won the following week.
Last season when the Reds went down 4-0 to the Roar at Suncorp, they returned to Hindmarsh a week later and scored a 2-0 victory over Perth Glory. Similarly, the Reds came back after a 4-0 defeat at the hands of Melbourne Victory in the 2nd leg of the 2008/09 major semi final to beat Brisbane in the Preliminary Final. While history means little when the teams cross the white line, it is something Coolen and the Reds can take heart from, particularly in that their chance to respond will again come at home in front of the loyal United faithful.
“I think they (the players) are all professionals and of course they want to bounce back, everybody wants that and we can see after the game what happens, but I-m pretty confident that the players will do their job, not only because you want them to do that, but because that-s what I-ve seen in the last couple of training sessions and they are focused to do better,” Coolen said prior to the squads- final training session before facing Melbourne Heart.
“Playing in our home games with that confidence and experience that we have, combined with having our supporters behind us, who are always there when we need them, together we are very strong and together we can get out of this problem, if you want to call it a problem, and we have to start with it tomorrow.”
“We are all professionals and we take the blame that we are responsible for the results, and the results have not been good, but we have to change that and people have to believe in us and it has to start with ourselves on the pitch to change that.”
Gates at Hindmarsh Stadium open at 6pm with kick-off at 7.30pm. Tickets are available through Ticketek.
