The Newcastle Jets coach and captain could barely bring themselves to talk up the Wellington Phoenix after bowing out of the A-League soccer race here today.
Soon after the 3-1 extra time loss, Jets coach Branko Culina reinforced his personal stance that an Australian club should be in the competition ahead of the Phoenix while captain Matthew Thompson shot down any praise that might be headed the way of gun Wellington striker Paul Ifill.
“I’d prefer another Australian team (in the A-League) because I’m an Australian,” a defiant Culina told NZPA.
“I never said I didn’t want the Phoenix in the competition, I think they have been terrific for the A-League. They’ve played some great football and they’ve got great players and a great setup. But I’m an Australian and I’ll always back Australian clubs.”
Thompson scored Newcastle’s only goal but lamented a couple of clear-cut chances he missed which effectively handed the home side the match.
He said the Phoenix defenders, led by former Newcastle centre back Andrew Durante, were the real stars of their team, not Ifill, who was a constant handful with his attacking surges and who scored a decisive goal in extra time.
“When a player can sit out there at wide right and get a free role it makes it hard on defenders having to defend him when he doesn’t do much in defence in all fairness. I don’t think he’d be very tired after that game,” Thompson said.
“Hat’s off to the Wellington back six because they’re definitely overworked and they put a great effort in today in holding us out.
“They showed today they have plenty of ticker but we should have thrown them off in the first half.”
Several of Culina’s starting lineup carried injuries into the game and Culina feared for their prospects as the match wore on.
“We had players who couldn’t walk, let alone run, but we gave them a run for their money. If we had taken our chances early on, it would have been a different ball game.”
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