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New Adelaide United coach John Kosmina hopes clear-the-air talks between him, players and officials will spark a revival for the A-League underachievers.
Kosmina’s first training session since his shock return to the club to replace sacked Rini Coolen came after frank discussions between all at the club about turning their fortunes around.
Kosmina has been among the Reds’ biggest critics in a weekly newspaper column – and now finds himself working alongside some of those he questioned.
“We got a few things out on the table that weren’t going to be exposed today, but they weren’t any big deal,” Kosmina told an Adelaide news conference on Monday.
“It was probably things that needed to be said.”
Kosmina admits his main task ahead of his first match in charge – away to his former club Sydney FC on Thursday – is to rebuild the Reds’ fighting spirit.
There was little of that in the 3-0 home loss to bottom side Gold Coast, a performance that forced officials to demote Coolen to youth development duties he is not expected to fulfil.
“I want to make them warriors … they need to adopt that warrior mentality, but if they don’t buy into it it’s not going to work,” Kosmina said.
“I see a room full of players but I don’t see a team in there at the moment.”
Kosmina’s first session was an intense affair, but the coach cautioned the players needed to continue that for the rest of the season.
“They trained with purpose … they got stuck in a bit, it was fairly intense.
“But what I spoke to them about at the end of training was `that’s great today, but they’ve got to come back and do it tomorrow’.
“Then they’ve got to do it again on Thursday night. Then they’ve got to do it again next week.”
Kosmina reiterated he didn’t believe Coolen would stay around the club in his changed role and that he had not spoken to the Dutchman since replacing him.
“I don’t expect to,” Kosmina said when asked whether he’d spoken to Coolen.
“What can I say to Rini? I empathise with the guy. I’ve been in this situation before, it’s not nice.”
Kosmina will coach the Reds while on his Asian Football Confederation `B’ coaching licence.
Football Federation Australia has approved his appointment despite the `A’ licence being the minimum standard allowed in the league.
They have been assured Kosmina is in the process of finishing his qualification and will do so some time next year.
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