Adelaide United missing four key stars for clash against Melbourne City
Adelaide United coach Gertjan Verbeek has already been hit with an injury dilemma which is bound to test his management skills before the clash against Melbourne City away on Sunday.
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Adelaide United coach Gertjan Verbeek revealed a son of ex refugees will make his A-League debut as the Dutchman juggles a spate of injuries, a suspension and a duty of care which has depleted the paper thin Reds.
Verbeek confirmed former Ethiopian refugee Yared Abetew, 20, will start in defence against Melbourne City at AAMI Park on Sunday before Adelaide hosts City in the FFA Cup final at Hindmarsh Stadium on Wednesday.
He also claimed Socceroos and Reds star signing James Troisi isn’t match ready but could be a starter when the Reds host Brisbane Roar on November 10.
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And George Blackwood picked up a muscle related injury on Tuesday which has ruled him out of the clash alongside Mirko Boland, Verbeek confirmed.
“I’m never so difficult as a trainer/coach, the defence has to know after a few months what the trainer is doing,’’ Verbeek said.
“When a No. 1 (player for a position) is not playing, then it’s the second one in charge and if the second one isn’t doing it (playing) then we go to the third one in charge, then we come to youth players.
“So Yared (Abetew) will make his debut.
“I didn’t bring him in for nothing, when I came here, arrived here I wanted to play 11 against 11 (internal games) and he’s a right defender and he mostly plays in the centre.
“He can also play right back and I’m convinced he can do it.
Abetew replaces suspended right back Ryan Strain wo was sent off against Sydney FC in a 3-2 loss at Hindmarsh Stadium nine days ago.
Michael Marrone comes into the starting 11 for Jordan Elsey after the centre back picked up a potentially serious knee injury during round one.
However Verbeek is confident Abetew, a Croydon junior and ex Kings NPL defender discovered by former coach and West Adelaide and Adelaide City midfielder Mark Brazzale, will slot into the side seamlessly.
Brazzale also handed arguably the A-League’s hottest teenager Al Hassan Toure — another ex refugee — a start in the NPL for Kings before Verbeek made him a permanent No. 9 during this year’s FFA Cup.
With the attack perhaps the least of Verbeek’s problems, he said bringing Troisi to Melbourne to sit on the bench would have been risky after the South Australian joined the Reds as a late season signing on October 6.
Troisi played his last official match for his former club Melbourne Victory in May.
“I talked with him (Troisi) about the planning, we have a busy week with three games (against City twice and Newcastle Jets away) and after that the weekend off (bye),’’ Verbeek said.
“I said “when you’re on the bench I have to look after you in training and you can’t train as I think you have to.”
“In the end there’s 27 league games and we have a cup final so it’s better that he get a good basic (preparation) for the whole season than force (him to play) for one game and do less training and get injured.
“We chose to give him full training (last week), and also next week, he’ll train fully because he can’t join us in the (FFA Cup) final.
“Maybe then we can take him for the away game (against Jets) then we still have a weekend off and then he’ll be ready to start in the team.”
Melbourne City v Adelaide United at AAMI Park
Kick off: 3.30pm
Referee: Shaun Evans
TV: Fox Sports, Kayo
Possible teams
Melbourne City
23. Dean Bouzanis
2. Scott Galloway
4. Harrison Delbridge
22. Curtis Good
3. Scott Jamieson (c)
6. Josh Brillante
8. Javier Cabrera
20. Adrian Luna
34. Connor Metcalfe
11. Craig Noone
9 Jamie Maclaren
Adelaide United
20. Paul Izzo
34. Yared Abetew
2. Michael Marrone
22. Michael Jakobsen (c)
7. Ryan Kitto
27. Louis D’Arrigo
14. Nathan Konstandopoulos
8. Riley McGree
26. Ben Halloran
35. Al Hassan Toure
17. Nikola Mileusnic