Words: Steve Pitman
Image: Alannah Pearson/Olympic FC

Brisbane Strikers coach Chay Hews says his players are ready for the challenge of tonight’s Canale Travel Cup Final against Olympic FC at Carmichael Park.

Strikers and Olympic will put their NPL Queensland league campaigns on hold to battle for the knock-out competition title as the final two Brisbane clubs in this year’s Football Queensland Cup.

The Canale Travel Cup served as the Brisbane pathway in the Football Queensland Cup, which also saw Strikers and Olympic qualify for the Westfield FFA Cup.

Speaking after Thursday night training, Hews said his players are in the right frame of mind for the Final and benefitted from a solid week’s preparation after a heavily congested schedule in recent weeks.

“We hadn’t really focused too much on it all before this week, because obviously we’ve had some big games in the league,” Hews said.

“This week the sole focus has been on the cup final and I think it’s exciting. I said to the boys that’s what you play football for – to get to the finals and to win those games.”

“So I’m excited for the lads and I hope they can do the business on Saturday. It will be a good reward for them for working so hard this year”.

Hews added that the announcement that he will be stepping down as Strikers coach at the end of the season had not affected the focus of his players.

The match takes on extra lustre with both Strikers and Olympic advancing to the Westfield FFA Cup Round of 16 a fortnight ago.

Strikers progressed to the Canale Travel Cup Final with wins over community clubs Capalaba Bulldogs, Ipswich Knights and Lions FC, who all play in the third tier Brisbane Premier League.

Olympic started their campaign against sixth-tier Capital 3 club Centenary Stormers, before defeating Wolves FC and Peninsula Power, also in the Brisbane Premier League competition.

Strikers twice defeat Olympic earlier this season in NPL Queensland, however Hews admits his opponents run of seven straight wins in all competitions will make them a tough proposition.

“Their form is really good. It’s always tough against Olympic so playing against them when they’re in good form is not going to make it any easier”, Hews said.

“But it’s a final, so it’s different to a normal game and if our boys are up for it I think we’re good enough to get over them again”.

Kick-off in the Canale Travel Cup Final is scheduled for 5:30pm at Carmichael Park, home of Wolves FC.