Welcome to Made With Mitre Moments, where aleagues.com.au brings you all the biggest talking points from each round of the 2024-25 Isuzu UTE A-League season.
Read on for all the biggest talking points from Round 22, thanks to Mitre.
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‘I gave him a little serve‘ – Jets boss praises winger after ‘Premier League’ moment
Newcastle Jets boss Rob Stanton believes Eli Adams’ sensational goal against Auckland FC on Sunday afternoon was a true reflection of just what the winger can do.
Adams had McDonald Jones stadium on it’s feet in the 12th minute of the game as he carried the ball from inside his own half before unleashing a stunning low drive that flew into the far corner to give Newcastle the lead.
But as good as that goal was, the finish only came after the 22-year-old had received a dressing down from his head coach following a lukewarm start to the match.
MATCH REPORT: Auckland ace sees RED as Jets earn a point thanks to winger’s stunner
“He started a little bit slow, I gave him a little serve,”
Rob Stanton on giving Eli Adams a serve
“But that’s Eli. That’s his personality. Sometimes you just need to push him a bit and and he’s got that ability to do that. I think it always gets down to sometimes people would look at his personality or his body language and take it in the wrong way, and that’s why maybe hasn’t played.
“Whereas I’m more looking at the potential, and how do I get that potential on a consistent basis? What buttons do I push? What do I do to bring it out in them? And then the design on the training system puts together. “
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Asked specifically about the goal that saw his side take a deserved early lead against the league leaders, Stanton was effusive in his praise of the former Melbourne Victory man.
“That’s a very, very good goal. I think if that goal was in the Premier League, they’d be talking about that goal.
“That’s a very, very good goal against a very, very good goalkeeper. So I’m happy for him, but he’s working hard, and so is Clayton (Taylor) and (Lachie Rose) and all the boys…”
The result for the Jets sees them sit nine points outside the top six with eight games left to play, the next of which comes against Melbourne City at home on Wednesday evening.
That fixture and finals football aside, another topic was on the menu in the post-game press conference: Stanton’s future at the club.
“I can’t really say much on that,” said Stanton, when asked if he was in talks to extend his contract at the Jets which currently expires at season’s end.
“For me, I’m not really worried about my future, to be honest. I’ve never looked to where I’m going next, or what I’m doing.
“Coaching is that type of industry where you’re here today, gone tomorrow, and it can happen that quick. You’re only one game away from getting the sack or a season away from something better.
“I take that always as what it is. for me, I’m only really worried about the players and my staff, where we’re at and where we’re heading.
“The rest will take care of itself.”
‘We’ve got to raise the bottom bar’
Central Coast Mariners boss Mark Jackson said he and his staff are already planning for next season following their 3-0 defeat to Melbourne Victory.
Goals from Nishan Velupillay, Bruno Fornaroli and Zinedine Machach saw Victory run out comfortable winners against the reigning Isuzu UTE A-League champions – a result which leaves the Mariners 10th on the ladder and 10 points outside the top six.
However, while the Englishman hasn’t thrown in the towel just yet when it comes to ruling out a late finals charge, he did admit major surgery was required to a squad that’s now conceded 10 goals in three games and are without a win in seven.
MATCH REPORT: Melbourne Victory win Grand Final rematch thanks to Socceroos pair & a stoppage-time rocket
“Well, we’re (getting) on with that already,” said Jackson when asked in his post-match press conference about the need to rebuild his squad.
“We’re starting that behind the scenes already, about looking at players, looking at what we need. People are vying for their futures at the club.
“That’s what it is. Of course they’ve got to show levels of performance to want to stay here and want to be part of it next year.
“So that’s been going on for a while behind the scenes now, and we were putting things in place, ready to action, that when we can.
“There’s no doubt we need to make the squad stronger. My assessment of it as well is we need to raise the bottom bar, raise up competitiveness of the squad.
He continued: “I think we want a little bit more experience in there as well, to get the blend in there. So, you know, the wheels (are) in motion on that already. We’re working hard behind the scenes with that. But listen, we’ve got games to come, to continue with this season, and we’ve got to try and finish on a positive note.”
Next up for the defending champions is a daunting trip to New Zealand where they face the side looking most likely to snatch their Premier’s Plate and potentially Isuzu UTE A-League championship away from them: Auckland FC.
‘They were non-existent’: Veart takes no prisoners after Brisbane draw
Adelaide United boss Carl Veart delivered a scathing review of his side following their 1-1 draw with Brisbane Roar at Coopers Stadium.
Despite welcoming back the likes of Panagiotis Kikianis, Luka Jovanovic and Jonny Yull from international duty, the Reds couldn’t get over the line against the competition’s bottom side as they made it four games without a win.
“The first 10 minutes of the second half we were okay, after that we were non-existent,” Veart side during his post-match press conference.
MATCH REPORT: Here come the future: Teens open A-Leagues accounts with golazos in Adelaide-Brisbane draw
“Too many players went hiding and weren’t prepared to do the work. Simple as that.”
He went on to say: “We didn’t keep the ball. We didn’t look to play forward. It was just not good enough. For a team pushing for a top-two spot, that was unacceptable.”
Having most recently been challenging Auckland FC at the top, Veart’s side now find themselves down in fifth spot and looking over their shoulder at the teams behind.
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“Most definitely,” said Veart, when asked if this was the most disappointed he’s been so far this season.
“Last week I thought the energy, the effort was fantastic. I thought that was most probably the best it’s been all season.
“Then to come back home, playing against the bottom team and to put that performance out there is unacceptable and there will be changes made to the team from that.
Asked whether or not he feels their home form is now a weakness for the side, Veart was forthright in his criticism.
“Yeah that’s a mentality thing isn’t it. It’s a bit of a weakness of our side.
“The proof is in the pudding. They might not be happy that I’m saying that but it is. You cannot be dropping points at home against the bottom side if you want to win things.”
Now sat fifth and with a four-point buffer over seventh placed Sydney FC, Veart will be hoping his words spark a reaction within the side when they face Macarthur Bulls away on Friday.
Western enjoying the ride but Championship talk remains off the table
Western United are now just six points behind league leaders Auckland FC after demolishing Wellington Phoenix 4-1 in Round 21.
Goals from Rhys Bozinovski, Hiroshi Ibusuki and a double from Matthew Grimaldi saw them dismantle the Nix at Ironbark Fields, a result which keeps them hot on the heels of the Black Knights at the top of the table.
Having won the Isuzu UTE A-League Championship in the 2021-22 season, head coach John Aloisi knows what it takes to get a side over the line when it comes to winning silverware – but does he think his current side is capable of getting the job done?
MATCH REPORT: Red-hot Western United soar to unprecedented feat after dismantling Wellington Phoenix
“Look, if you make finals then any side will believe they can win,” said Aloisi when asked that question after the game.
“First we have to make finals. We’re not there, it’s pretty close, the competition. There’s still six games to go. We want to really focus now. Enjoy the result, enjoy the performance and focus on Newcastle who will be strong.
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“And then we have a bit of a break. So, that’s our main focus and then after that, we’ll see with five games to go where we’re at.
“No magic number,” said the Championship winner when asked what points tally he thinks will be enough to seal the Premier’s Plate.
“You know that finals is around 40 points but that can be a little bit more, especially the way the teams are going this year. So that could be 41, 42 points.
“Normally to win the league you’re talking about 50 points. So that’s to win the Premier’s Plate, but Auckland could get a lot more than that or someone else could go on a run and win six in a row. So you just don’t know.
“We just have to focus on us, focus on every game and make sure that we’re prepared for every game.”
Bulls facing mission impossible but Sterjovski still believes
Macarthur Bulls boss Mile Sterjovski concedes his side likely to have to win all six of their remaining matches if they are to play finals football this season.
The Bulls suffered their fourth defeat in five games on Friday night when they were beaten 2-0 by Melbourne City.
The result leaves Sterjovski’s side sat in eighth spot on the ladder, six points outside the top six with six games left to play.
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“Yeah it’s difficult,” said Sterjovski when asked if he thinks his side can still play finals football this year.
“I think i’ve said it before; we lost quality players, but I do still believe in in the squad, but they need to lift.
“It’s not enough just to believe you can do it or put a plan there, it needs to be executed, and the players need to step up and a bit more hunger needs to be shown to play our football.
“In the last couple of weeks I don’t think we’ve shown that enough. There’s six games to go for us and I think we need to win pretty much all six to make the finals in my opinion.”
Whilst not using it as an excuse for the defeat, Sterjovski vented his frustrations after the loss to City at AAMI Park, believing the game could have been very different had Melbourne City’s Max Caputo received a second yellow card.
“I felt like it was a tough first half. I thought City were quite good. I do feel though the ref may have missed a second yellow card to Caputo, which would have changed the game.
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“With the penalty call. You know, we were told at the beginning of the season that when a player can’t react, it shouldn’t be given. So I don’t understand the inconsistencies with the decisions.
“But in saying that, I’ve got to give credit to City, they played a good game today.
Specifically asked whether or not he had received an explanation from the referees over the decisions, Sterjovski aired his frustrations.
“When you ask a question, they don’t want to talk. You know, it’s frustrating as a coach when you don’t get answers.
“But like I said, I felt like in the second half, we started to get into the game a bit more, and then obviously the penalty call killed our momentum a little bit and knocked the wind out of our sails.”