Adelaide United’s Isaias believes the Reds low profile will help in their chase for the treble
REDS skipper Isaias likes it when Adelaide United continue to fly beneath the A-League radar even though the Reds proved they are the real deal by winning the FFA Cup.
ADELAIDE United skipper Isaias says the “big dogs” can crave all the A-League attention they want but it’s his club which is the only one capable of winning the treble this season.
Melbourne Victory was the first club to have conquered all three trophies on offer in one season, in 2015, since the FFA Cup was introduced in 2014, which Adelaide won.
Isaias is almost relieved that when critics talk, hardly any, especially in the eastern states, mention Adelaide in the same breath as serial title contenders Sydney FC, Melbourne Victory and now Melbourne City.
That is even after Adelaide upset Sydney FC 2-1 in a thrilling FFA Cup final at Hindmarsh on Tuesday night.
Even bookmakers Ladbrokes remained firm, tipping Sydney to win the Premier’s Plate and grand final.
Adelaide, according to Ladbrokes’ current betting market, won’t even finish in the top six.
“They talk about other clubs, that’s good, it’s fantastic,’’ said Isaias with a hint of sarcasm in his tone after winning his first major title as skipper of the club.
“They are the favourites, they are the big teams, they are the big dogs, they have more fans, they have more money, they have whatever they want.
“But we are Adelaide United, we work really hard and from here we will see what happens.”
Isaias played one of his better matches this season in a clash which saw SA-born Craig Goodwin emerge as the hero after he scored two cracking goals either side of halftime.
According to Isaias, his first, a set piece, had goal written all over it as soon as referee Jarred Gillett signalled for a direct free kick outside the box when Goodwin was fouled off the ball by Sydney’s Rhyan Grant.
Isaias and Goodwin were both standing over the ball before the winger let fly with a 25-metre shot which brought back super memories for the Spaniard.
Goodwin scored a similar goal at Adelaide Oval during the 2015 A-League finals series exactly a year before Isaias scored a dead-ball cracker at the same venue during the Reds grand final win at the opposite end.
“I know that Goody (Goodwin) is very good at set pieces,’’ Isaias said. “I knew that he is going to score this goal, because I can remember before the other one happened in 2015.
“In that game he scored from the same position and I said ‘Goody, you’re going to do it’ – it was between us the conversation.
“And I can’t believe his second goal, he did it with the right foot and it was impossible to do better, he deserves more and to score more goals.”