Words: Steve Pitman, Brisbane Strikers
Image: Brisbane Strikers

Brisbane Strikers coach Chay Hews has warned his players not to be distracted by thoughts of impressing the Brisbane Roar NYL coaching staff when the teams meet at Perry Park on Sunday.

Hews said he was aware several of his young guns are keen to impress the A-League club’s coaches with eye-catching performances, but added if they must channel their efforts into an effective team performance to do so.

“I think something that would impress coaches is seeing our boys go out and be disciplined and do their jobs tactically as well as working hard and trying to do that extra”, Hews said. 

“I think the Roar are certainly not (just) going to look for players who are enthusiastic, they are going to look for players that can play and they are going to want players that can listen to instructions and do a job.”

“That’s a massive part of football and the Roar seems to have found a formula that works, and I don’t think they’ll go looking outside that box.

“You’ve got to try and find the balance between enthusiasm and working hard, and trying to accomplish what we want to do”.

Hews said he expects Roar’s NYL side to be technically excellent but also very fit. He identified the midfield as the key to Sunday’s contest.

“Being an old midfielder, I think that the battle is probably going to be win in the midfield”, Hews said.  “If we can control that area of the field then I think that we have a chance of controlling the game.”

But if we let these guys play they are going to keep possession and they are going to make us work hard, and harder than you probably want to on a big field.  To me, that’s the area where we need to be on top of things.”

Both teams play their home matches at Perry Park and Strikers boast a raft of former Roar Youth players from seasons past including Matt Thurtell, Jason Shade, Michael Angus and Alex Schiavo.

Despite the side’s being familiar with each other’s gameplan, Hews said it was unlikely to result in a tactical stalemate.

“It’s going to be one of those games.  I think it may be a good match – it’s two teams that will hopefully try and play football and it should be a good game to watch”, he predicted.