Adelaide United head coach Adrian Stenta spoke to United Media ahead of Sunday’s blockbuster clash against league leaders Melbourne City. Stenta discussed the team’s mindset, the challenge of facing an unbeaten City side, and the return of captain Izzy Hodgson.
Stenta on squad health and availability…
“Most players are available for selection this week. We’ve decided not to risk Fiona [Worts] and will give her one more week, but she should be ready next week. Katie Bowler is the only other player unavailable. Otherwise, everyone is fit and ready to perform. Like every week, it’s difficult to select a squad of 16, but that’s a great problem to have. The competition for places is lifting the squad from the bottom up, which puts us in a really strong position.”
Stenta on the excitement for the Melbourne City clash…
“We’re really excited. It’s a great challenge away from home. They haven’t lost all year and have been in good form, so this is a fantastic opportunity for us to test ourselves against the benchmark of the competition.”
Stenta on treating the game like any other…
“We feel like we’ve been playing in big games for a while now, so it has become more routine. This is just another opportunity for us to continue to grow, develop, and improve. We’re looking to play good football against good opposition, but there’s no extra emotion attached to it.”
Stenta on what they learned from their last match against City…
“The mindset we took into that game wasn’t as positive as it needed to be. We probably showed them a little too much respect and know we can play better football than we did that day. We’ve worked on correcting those things, and we believe we have a good game plan for Sunday. Now it’s about executing it and playing consistently for 90 minutes.”
Stenta on Izzy Hodgson’s return to the squad…
“She’s been training really well, pushing hard, and she’s worked extremely hard to get back to this point. I’ve seen firsthand the effort she’s put in, often training on her own. Having her back in the squad will be a real lift for the group, and hopefully, she can use this as a stepping stone for the rest of the season.”
Stenta on two in-form teams going head-to-head…
“It’s great for the league. It creates a buzz for neutral viewers as well as the supporters of both clubs. Melbourne City have been outstanding, unbeaten in over 20 matches, including their Asian Champions League games. They’re a very difficult side to beat, but we’re excited for the challenge and seeing how we match up.”
Stenta on being close to finals qualification…
“I’m really excited. It’s something we set out to achieve at the start of the season, but our main focus is finishing as high on the ladder as possible. We want to push for a top-two spot, and naturally, if we do that, we’ll be in the finals. It’s a great position to be in and a reward for the hard work the players have put in this season.”
Stenta on Claudia Jenkins’ New Zealand national team selection…
“It’s a fantastic achievement. We knew it was a possibility, and it was something Claudia set her sights on. It’s a reward for effort, especially considering she started pre-season as our number two goalkeeper. She got her opportunity, took it, and hasn’t looked back. The whole team is stoked for her, and we know she’ll represent herself and the club well.”
