Adelaide United head coach Carl Veart fronted the media ahead of Saturday night’s huge clash with Western Sydney Wanderers.
Carl with an update on Josh Cavallo:
“With Josh, it’s unfortunate. We’re not sure how long it will be. He had a meeting with the surgeon yesterday, so we just have to wait and see whether he’s got to have surgery or not to repair the injury. So it could possibly be long term. It’s very disappointing for Josh. When you’re a professional footballer, to have long-term injuries, and to work so hard to come back from one and then potentially suffer another long-term injury, it’s tough. But Josh is very resilient, and we know that he’ll come back stronger again.”
Carl on the return of Harry Van der Saag:
“Harry brings a lot of energy and a lot of aggression to our side. He’s a versatile footballer who can play a lot of positions. I thought he worked hard for us last week and nearly got himself a goal in the first half as well. He brings that little bit of energy that we need, and the pressure that we want on the ball.”
Carl on the fight for Finals football:
“We still have nine games to go. So we still believe that we can make the finals this year. But, you know, at the end of the day, we’ve lost a few players over the course of the season. History says you need to get around the 35-point mark. That’s six wins and we’re more than capable of doing that. We’ll keep fighting right to the last game of the season.”
Carl on the RAANPLSA side playing at Coopers Stadium on Saturday before the Senior match:
“Yeah, it’s exciting. We’ve got a lot of young players in our NPL side. There are a lot of 16/17-year-olds who have never played at Hindmarsh. I’m sure their dream is to come and play at home in this stadium, so it’s a good opportunity to give them a look at what the stadium is like. It’s also a good opportunity for the Campbelltown City players as well; not too many of them would have been able to play at Hindmarsh Stadium. It’s a great gesture from the club and from the Federation (Football SA) to allow the game to be played at Hindmarsh. I’m really excited to get out and watch our young players again and see them perform well in the NPL.”
Match details:
Isuzu UTE A-League Round 18Adelaide United v Western Sydney Wanderers
Saturday, 24 February 2024, Kick-off: 7:15pm ACDT
Coopers Stadium
RAA NPLSA Match Details
RAA NPLSA Round One
Adelaide United v Campbelltown City
Saturday, 24 February 2024, Kick-off: 4:00pm ACDT
Coopers Stadium