Melbourne Heart FC head coach John van ‘t Schip is poised to spring a selection surprise this weekend after naming an extended 18-man squad for his side’s clash with Perth Glory.
Melbourne Heart FC head coach John van ‘t Schip is poised to spring a selection surprise this weekend after naming an extended 18-man squad for his side-s clash with Perth Glory.
Midfielders Jonatan Germano and Wayne Srhoj have joined striker Maycon in returning to the fold, providing van ‘t Schip with a timely dose of flexibility following the loss of club captain Fred to injury.
Germano has been out of action since playing a pivotal role in Heart-s 2-1 triumph over Brisbane Roar at Suncorp Stadium, scoring the opening goal before being forced off with a hamstring strain.
The Argentine-s return provides a much needed boost to Heart-s midfield stocks, as does the potential return of Srhoj, who is yet to feature in Hyundai A-League action since the Melbourne Derby on December 23.
A quadriceps strain proved to be the adversary in this instance, with Srhoj sustaining the injury in training before Heart-s trip to Sydney to take on the Sky Blues before the New Year.
Former Socceroo Simon Colosimo is another player in contention to make an appearance this weekend, with the defender making strong progress in his recovery from a bruised knee.
With Adrian Madaschi on route to Korea after completing his 10-week stint in Red and White, Colosimo would provide Heart needed defensive cover and support for the teenage pairing of Curtis Good and Brendan Hamill.
On the injury front, Nick Kalmar and Kliment Taseski remain unavailable for selection with back and foot injuries respectively, while Kamal Ibrahim and Adrian Zahra have been overlooked for selection.
Zahra featured for Heart Youth in the side-s 1-3 loss to Sydney FC last Sunday, and is likely to again make an appearance when John Aloisi-s outfit faces Perth Glory at John Cain Memorial Reserve in Northcote on Monday.
The youngster has made strong progress in his bid to make a return to Hyundai A-League action since suffering a severe knee injury in the Melbourne Derby nearly 12 months ago.
However, the 20-year-old remains short of the necessary match fitness and sharpness to be considered for first team selection.
Squad v Perth Glory
1.Clint Bolton (GK), 2.Michael Marrone, 3.Brendan Hamill, 4.Simon Colosimo, 6.Matt Thompson, 7.Rutger Worm, 8.Kristian Sarkies, 9.Maycon, 10.Wayne Srhoj, 11.Alex Terra, 13.Jonatan Germano, 15.David Williams, 16.Aziz Behich, 17.Jason Hoffman, 18.Curtis Good, 19.Eli Babalj, 23.Mate Dugandzic, 30.Sebastian Mattei (GK). *three to be omitted*
In: Maycon (promoted), Simon Colosimo, Jonatan Germano, Wayne Srhoj (all return from injury)
Out: Fred (groin 4-6 weeks)
Unavailable: Nick Kalmar (back – 4 weeks), Kliment Taseski (foot – indefinite)
