Reds’ A-League season over as club looks to future
Adelaide United’s hopes of contesting the A-League finals series this season have been dashed after Western United defeated Perth Glory 2-0 last night.
Western United's win over Perth Glory has knocked the Reds out of finals contention. Photo: AAP/Dean Lewins
The win puts Western into sixth place – level with Adelaide United on 36 points but with a vastly superior goal difference (+10 to -5).
Adelaide has played all their 26 games while Western has two games to come.
The Reds drew their final game of the A-league season against second-placed Melbourne City 2-2 on Tuesday night to put them three points clear in sixth.
Adelaide has been one of the form teams of the competition since the A-League restart, winning two and drawing three under interim coach Carl Veart.
“We’ve done as much as we could so now it’s up to the football gods,” Veart said on Tuesday.
“We’ve had a pretty tough run – five games in this short period.
“The next couple of days we’ll just relax, hang around the hotel, maybe play some cricket, maybe play some board games, have a bit of fun, enjoy ourselves and watch some football. ”
Veart has impressed since taking the reins but is yet to be awarded the job full-time.
“I’ve said all the way along, my only focus here was to get the best results for the club,” he said.
“At the end of this, when we return to Adelaide, I’ll sit down with the chairman (Piet van der Pol) and I’ll sit down with Bruce (Djite) and Nathan (Kosmina) and we’ll plan a way forward for the club which is best for the club.”
Veart said Adelaide’s recent form was “the way ahead” and emphasised the Reds would continue to back young players.
“We’re always going to look first at South Australian players but we want the best young players in the country and we’re prepared to play the young players,” he said.
“A lot of the clubs aren’t prepared to give their young players an opportunity and our club is … so if you want to play, our club is the place to be.”
-with AAP
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