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Queensland coach Frank Farina will gamble on prize recruit Charlie Miller playing out the A-League season with a worsening hernia problem after barring talk of an operation.
Farina freely admits his attacking linchpin requires surgery but will again roll the dice on Saturday with Miller in a possibly reshuffled midfield to play Central Coast at Gosford.
The former Socceroos coach declared the goal-scoring Scotsman an almost certain starter against the Mariners despite him failing to finish the first half of last round’s 1-all draw with Sydney FC.
Roar physiotherapist Tony Ganter also this week said Miller needed a “minor miracle” to recover and play Central Coast.
But Farina said the A-League’s “buy of the season” would definitely start the game after finishing a short training session at Ballymore on Thursday.
“Unless something drastic happens in the next 24-48 hours he should be fine,” he said.
“Eventually he will have to have a hernia operation but hopefully that will be at the end of the season.
“It’s a bit of a concern but he’s gone from the little fat guy to possibly the best buy of the season.
“Charlie is (32), he knows his body and he knows what he can do and should be doing.”
Miller is the equal fourth scorer in the competition with seven goals and has also shown himself to be the third-placed Roar’s most creative attacker.
Despite his 38th minute departure in Sydney, Farina said an operation and resulting six-week lay-off was “not a topic for discussion”.
“I don’t want him to have the operation unless he desperately needs it and as we’ve said he’s important in terms of our team structure and what he’s doing for us as a playmaker and obviously scoring goals,” he said.
The Roar trained with Miller in a four-man midfield with Danny Tiatto, Matt McKay and Massimo Murdocca as Farina trialled a 3-4-3 formation to play the Mariners in a shift from their 4-3-3 structure.
“We’d be comfortable with that style of play, particularly in the midfield,” the coach said.
“I think that’s where the game’s going to be won or lost and I think the more bodies we can have in there the better chance we’ll have in getting on top of them.”
Fullback Andrew Packer would be the fall guy if Farina takes from a defensive line which will be on guard for the fourth-placed Mariners’ tall forwards who are lethal from set pieces.
Central Coast have lost Nigel Boogaard to a two-match ban but regained the services of fellow defender Pedj Bojic who missed the 2-all draw to Perth through suspension.
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