CENTRAL Coast Assistant Coach Phil Moss says the Mariners’ focus will be entirely on themselves when the Premiers meet Hyundai A-League heavyweights Melbourne Victory at Knox Grammar School, Wahroonga on Sunday.
CENTRAL Coast Assistant Coach Phil Moss says the Mariners- focus will be entirely on themselves when the Premiers meet Hyundai A-League heavyweights Melbourne Victory at Knox Grammar School, Wahroonga on Sunday.
The yellow and navy lost 2-0 to Adelaide United in their first pre-season hit-out against an A-League rival at Hindmarsh Stadium on Wednesday, but Moss says the team did well against the Reds, moving the ball about with precision in the city of churches.
Graham Arnold-s men will look to replicate that control on Sunday against a Victory team flush with new recruits.
“It-s a pre-season game so we-re not too worried about the result,” Moss said. “[But] it will be a great opportunity for the fans to get out and see where we are at.”
“We-ve looked at where other clubs have strengthened and most of them have signed foreign players in the attacking half of the field.
“It will be a good challenge for us defensively to make sure our structure is good and that the back four work together,” he said.
Indeed, Moss believes the Mariners are set to come up against a Victory team that is on a relatively equal footing to them in terms of fitness.
With their 2012 AFC Champions League quarterfinal against Uzbek giants Bunyodkor next week, Adelaide United is one A-League club well advanced in their pre-season plans.
That extra sharpness and power ultimately told against a Mariners outfit deliberately timing their run into the new campaign, so as to peak when it matters most.
“It-s another chance for us to get minutes into the legs of the players, and it-s a good progression from the game against Adelaide the other night,” Moss said.
“That was a tough hit-out for us against a team that was well advanced in their pre-season. So Melbourne Victory will probably be a more similar level to us as far as fitness goes.”
“Pre-season and during the season at the Mariners is all about us. ‘Arnie- (Graham Arnold) has made that quite clear from day one that if we have our own house in order than everything else looks after itself.”
“October 6 is all that really matters to us.”
Sunday 16 September vs. Melbourne Victory
Knox Grammar School, Wahroonga
Kick-off: 3pm (local)
Tickets: Adults $10; kids under 5 FREE! Tickets will be available at the gate or you can pre-purchase online by CLICKING HERE.
Twitter: Join the match conversation on Twitter! The official match hashtag is #CCMvMV
