Reds Head Coach Carl Veart spoke to the media ahead of Adelaide United’s clash with Brisbane Roar at Coopers Stadium on Saturday afternoon. He discussed squad reinforcements, the importance of maintaining intensity, and the club’s push for maximum points in the final stretch of the season.
Veart on squad reinforcements and competition for places…
“There will be changes. I’ve made that clear to the playing group—over the last eight games, there will be competition every week to keep everyone on their toes. We need to be firing in every match to ensure we pick up maximum points.
“Pana [Kikianis] will come back in—he’s an integral part of our team. Even though he’s young, he brings a calmness and passing ability that suits the way we want to play. Dylan [Pierias] is back from illness, so there’s a good chance he’ll return to the starting lineup as well. Getting our four young boys back from international duty and some players returning from injury has lifted morale and given us the push we need.”
Veart on Bart Vriends’ leadership…
“That’s why we chased an experienced player like Bart. We have some very young center-backs—Pana and others coming through from the youth team—who lack experience at this level. Bart has worked extremely closely with them all season, and we’re benefiting from his experience playing in Europe.”
Veart on defensive vulnerabilities and attacking intent…
“We don’t want to concede as many goals as we do, but we’re not going to change the way we play. We want to be an attacking team that scores goals. Sometimes that leaves us a little vulnerable at the back, but I’m happy to take that risk as long as we score more than the opposition.”
Veart on recent form and maintaining consistency…
“We had a little dip in form where we dropped off the pace. Some games we were five or ten percent below where we needed to be, and that made a difference. It wasn’t just about missing players—we have a full squad, and when you’re selected to play, you need to stand up.
“Our performances haven’t been poor, but our intensity hasn’t been consistent. Other than the Western United game, where we were quite poor, we’ve been okay. It’s about maintaining our energy levels and being sharper in key moments.”
Veart on facing Brisbane Roar…
“It’s a great opportunity to build momentum at home against a team at the bottom of the table. But we know Brisbane will see this as a chance to turn their season around. We need to make sure our intensity is there from the start, just like it was after the first 20 minutes against Auckland last week.”
Veart on the women’s team playing the prime time slot…
“It’s great for the whole club. The women have had an exceptional season and are on a record-breaking unbeaten run. Hopefully, our supporters stay behind to watch them because they need to keep picking up points, just like we do.
“It’s always good for both teams to be having success, but there’s still a long way to go for us to reach where we want to be. Hopefully, both teams get the win, and it’s a six-point weekend for the club.”
Veart on James Delianov’s return and managing Ethan Cox…
“James has had two full weeks of training and is our number one goalkeeper, so he’ll come back into the team. We just needed to make sure he was fully ready.
“Coxy is a young goalkeeper, and this run of games was a great learning experience for him. He knows what areas he needs to work on, and he’ll now have time with Eugene to focus on improving those aspects of his game.”
Veart on Stefan Mauk’s fitness and Isaías’ return…
“Stefan didn’t travel to Auckland [initially with the squad] due to illness and only trained the day before the game, so that’s why he wasn’t in the starting XI last week. When he came on, he gave us the extra drive we needed to get the point.
“He’s [Isaías] fit, but we’re giving him an extra week to be sure. He’s an important part of the team, and although it was only a minor hamstring issue, we want to ensure it doesn’t become a recurring problem.”
Veart on Brisbane’s player absences and the challenges they face…
“It’s tough times for that part of the country, and I think everyone is hoping for the best for those affected. They’ve suffered tragedies over the years, and we all hope it’s not as bad as predicted. From a football perspective, it might make things easier for us as an opposing team, but these situations go beyond the game.”
