Adelaide United Captain Craig Goodwin says he’s fully fit and ready to lead his side into Friday night’s Isuzu UTE A-League Men’s season opener against Sydney FC at Coopers Stadium.
The winger, who underwent minor foot surgery in the off-season, said the extended pre-season had given him the perfect runway to return to full fitness and help guide the Reds into a new era under Head Coach Airton Andrioli.
Goodwin on returning to full fitness…
“I’m at 100% now. I’ve played a lot of minutes throughout pre-season and built up my training load. It’s been tough, but I feel great and I’m just excited to get going again on this sacred grass at Coopers.”
Goodwin revealed the injury was something he’d managed for several years before finally opting for surgery.
“I’d had it for about five years. The last two seasons I had to inject before every game, so it’s great to have it fixed now. Hopefully it’s all behind me.”
On a fresh start and a new mindset under Andrioli…
“There’s been a lot of change – new staff, new faces, a fresh style – but the biggest thing I hope fans see is our intent, work ethic and desire. That’s what we can always control. If we show that fight and hunger every day, then we give ourselves a real chance.”
The skipper also spoke about his hunger to turn consistent finals appearances into silverware.
“If I’m overly critical, we’ve fallen just short too many times. The difference we need this season is ruthlessness and relentlessness – that mindset every day. If we get that right, we can achieve something special.”
On Adelaide’s young core and leadership…
“We’ve got a lot of young boys who’ve now played 50 to 100 A-League games – it’s time for them to step up and be mainstay players. They’ve got the quality, and if they combine that with the right mentality, they can go really far.”
Goodwin also believes the balance of youth and experience is key to the Reds’ identity.
“We’ve got a small group of senior players like Ryan Kitto, Bart Vriends and myself, but we also have a lot of young, hungry players who’ve grown up here. That’s what makes this club special.”
On expectations for the season ahead…
“The expectations are always high. We want to make finals, finish top four, and fight for silverware – because if you’re not here to win, then what are you here for? That’s our mindset every day.”
Goodwin also reaffirmed his ambition to earn a Socceroos recall ahead of next year’s World Cup.
“I feel I’m still playing my best football, and some of my best is yet to come. My goal is to perform with Adelaide and make myself available for that Socceroos squad.”
