Adelaide United Head Coach Airton Andrioli says the Reds will lean on a collective mindset and the leadership within the group as they prepare to face Sydney FC away, with Craig Goodwin set for an extended spell on the sidelines.
Andrioli said the focus remains on backing the squad, continuing the football United has played for most of the season, and improving the small moments that have proven costly in recent matches.
Airton on replacing Craig Goodwin
“It’s disappointing, not just for the club and for us, but also for Craig personally. It’s never easy to get an injury and the timing wasn’t great, but it is what it is. He’s potentially out until the end of the season, depending on how far we go. We have to focus on what we have available and the opportunity it opens for other players to come in and do the job.”
Airton on the options to fill Goodwin’s role
“We’ve got a few options, depending on how we want to play – whether we use wingers wide or coming inside. We have players in those positions who can fill that role. We’ll decide game by game what we need for the upcoming matches.”
Airton on covering leadership and experience
“We still have experienced players in the squad – Ryan Kitto, Josh Smits and Bart Vriends. They need to embrace that leadership role. Some of the young players are also growing into it – Ethan Alagich and Ryan White, for example. Everyone has to contribute. It’s a collective effort. We’re not too concerned about it; we just need to concentrate on the things we’ve done well this season. We’ve been good in the majority of matches, and we need to continue getting points on the board.”
Airton on opportunity for others to step up
“We’ve got a big squad and we’ve been rotating players on the bench to give everyone opportunities. It’s up to the player to take it. He came on the other day, played a few minutes and did well. We hope he can step up and take that opportunity.”
Airton on Pana Kikianis’ availability
“He’s still battling an illness. He’s done some sessions, but he hasn’t trained much, so it might be a bit risky. At this stage, he’s potentially not available this week.”
Airton on Sydney FC and their recent additions
“They’ve been a very good side from the beginning of the season and they’ve got a strong squad. Many teams have brought players in during this window, so it will be a difficult game. But if we play our football and eliminate some of the mistakes that creep into our game at times, we’re confident we can get a result.”
Airton on not focusing on other clubs’ recruitment
“Those players still have to come in and deliver. A lot of players arrive from overseas, or return to the league, and they have a profile, but they still have to perform on the pitch. We can’t focus on that. We have our players, we have young players in the squad, and we believe in what we’re doing. Against Newcastle, my only disappointment was not getting any points, because I thought we played well and controlled the game for long periods. If we stick together and keep producing the performances we’ve shown for most of the season, it comes down to small margins and details. If we can eliminate those, we have a chance to play finals — and then who knows.”
Airton on Jonny Yull’s season
“That’s what we want from players who have been around for a while – consistent performances week in, week out. We told the boys this week they couldn’t find a better place to be, because we want them to be creative, express themselves, and play with conviction. We have a game plan, strategies, and a tactical system we can adjust, but ultimately we need the players to go out there with belief and confidence. That’s the most important thing in football.”
Airton on Yaya Dukuly building from his goal
“We hope so. I said after last week that a player like Yaya should be scoring almost every week. He’s got all the attributes – he’s skilful and quick. It comes back to playing with conviction. If you look at the goal he scored, there was no doubt in his mind. We hope that convinces him he can do that week in, week out, because he’s a player who should be scoring five to ten goals a season for us – and that’s what we want from him and the rest of the team.”
Airton on the importance of the match in the context of the season
“Every game is important. There’s no such thing as a game that isn’t important. We know we’re playing a good opposition at home, and they’re one of the clubs expected to be in finals and competing for a championship. But we don’t treat it as more difficult than playing anyone else, because this season has shown every match is difficult, regardless of the opponent. We just have to make sure we bring our best game – that’s our mentality for this match.”