Visa issues have made it “unlikely” that A-League newcomers North Queensland will unveil their latest signing in a pre-season grudge match against the Brisbane Roar in Townsville on Sunday.
News that Argentinian midfielder Ezequiel Guillermo Jesus Amaya may not be available for their first official home game came after the club lost their third big-name player before the season could even start.
The Fury released striker Brendon Santalab from his two-year contract on Wednesday so he could join Chinese Super League club Chengdu Blades.
The 26-year-old joined initial marquee signing Jade North and Brazilian midfielder Felipe as players released before playing a competitive match for North Queensland.
Add to that Adelaide United midfielder Cassio’s decision to renege on a deal with the Fury and the newcomers could claim to not being able to take a trick ahead of their A-League debut.
But the Fury insist they aren’t panicking.
“With regards to Brendon, in the game of football players get opportunities to play overseas – and sometimes it is good for the club to let them go,” Matheson told AAP.
“At the end of the day I am a fan of `as one door shuts, another opens’.
“Jade (North) had the opportunity to go to Korea and as a result we took Robbie Fowler.
“It created a massive amount of momentum for the club.
“And in Brendon’s case he didn’t have a mortgage on a starting spot.
“There are a couple of lads who are capable of filling his shoes – we are not panicking about it.”
On the chances of 31-year-old Amaya playing on Sunday, Matheson said: “If he arrives on Saturday he will play Sunday, but there are issues beyond our control.”
The Fury have also had to endure constant speculation about their marquee signing Fowler, with some cynics doubting whether the Liverpool legend would shrug off injury and English reports also linking him to a UK return.
But Fowler appeared to silence the critics with an impressive debut in their recent 2-1 loss to English Premier League outfit Wolverhampton in Perth before backing up against the Glory.
Matheson said there was “no doubt” Fowler would run out against the Roar, who thrashed the Fury 4-0 in their previous pre-season meeting.
“He had run into some criticism but at the end of the day we had been very careful with the (hip/groin) injury and I think we have done the right thing with it,” he said.
“We have got him coming into the game at the right time and as he showed against the Wolves and Perth he’s a classy player with a good touch – you don’t lose that overnight.”
Matheson warned the Roar a “very different” Fury would run out on Sunday compared to the team that were thrashed in the early pre-season.
“Without making any excuses, realistically we only had about two starting players in that game,” he said.
“Our boys will certainly be very keen to turn the tables on the Roar – they will be very mindful of the touch-up we got early on.”
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