Melbourne Heart FC Head Coach John van’t Schip has warned his players Saturday’s clash at Hunter Stadium against Newcastle Jets poses a “very difficult game” for the Red and White.
Melbourne Heart FC Head Coach John van-t Schip has warned his players Saturday-s clash at Hunter Stadium against Newcastle Jets poses a “very difficult game” for the Red and White.
Melbourne Heart are coming off two big wins against league leaders Brisbane Roar and Melbourne Victory in the past fortnight, which made it five wins from the Club-s past five games.
However, the Dutchman is wary of the Jets who have knocked off Western Sydney Wanderers and the Roar recently, and is demanding his players not get too comfortable in Newcastle.
Watch the full press conference with Head Coach John van’t Schip
“I think its going to be a very difficult game,” van-t Schip said. “I told the boys coming from a good run and winning Brisbane, winning the Derby, so everybody is in a good mood.
“We have to be prepared and focused on the next game but sometimes it-s hard; you look at the history of all kind of results, you have to forget about the past and think about the coming game.
“Newcastle is a team now who has won their last two games against Brisbane and Western Sydney so they-re in good form and they want to get into the play-offs.
“They have had some problems playing at home the past few [games]… they surely want to show their home fans they-re capable of beating us.”
Newcastle have recorded only two wins at home this season with four draws and four losses, while Melbourne Heart have not won at Hunter Stadium in the Club-s history.
Melbourne Heart-s record of seven games without defeat started in mid-January, with a 3-1 win over the Jets at AAMI Park, but that is something van-t Schip believes will not count for anything come Saturday.
“It-s different [than six weeks ago]; we played Newcastle at home of course several times and at home we have won a few times but away we have never won against them except a game in Port Macquarie,” van-t Schip said.
“It is going to be a tough game because they-ve always had a good result against us.
“We have showed that we have a good team that were competitive, that we can play any opponent in the A-League and give them a good game.
“We started winning but its still a long, long way to say that we-re having a team that-s going to beat everybody anywhere.
“We have to be humble and work hard and that counts for the game tomorrow.
“The whole team has to play and then in that you will always have players that will give you some extra quality.”
Van-t Schip has a full-squad to pick from, with Patrick Gerhardt and Aziz Behich returning from suspension, while captain Harry Kewell is fit and pushing for a starting spot.
“I-m looking at the team and looking at the moment and the moment, as we know, can change,” van-t Schip said.
“I will every time judge at the moment that the game is on,”
“It doesn-t matter who exceeds and who is going to be the most important player in a certain game, it-s [always] about the team.”
Match Details
Hyundai A-League Round 22
Saturday, 8 March 2014
Newcastle Jets vs. Melbourne Heart FC
Hunter Stadium, Newcastle
Kick-off: 5.30pm
