Adelaide United coach Josep Gombau all but calls time on the career of Cassio

ADELAIDE United coach Josep Gombau has launched an extraordinary attack on out-of-favour defender Cassio.

ADELAIDE United coach Josep Gombau has launched an extraordinary attack on Cassio.

The club’s longest-serving player incurred the wrath of Gombau today when questioned if he would be included in the squad to face Newcastle Jets at Hunter Stadium on Friday.

Cassio was a notable absentee when Adelaide’s squad were called to the dais after beating Perth Glory in the FFA Cup final on Tuesday. His name wasn’t mentioned when players were called to collect their medals

“Honestly no (room for Cassio),” said Gombau before the Reds departed for Newcastle this afternoon.

“Cassio had something that I don’t like.

“He don’t come before pre-game (FFA Cup final) to support the players to say ‘good luck’.

“He don’t come after the game to celebrate with the players. For me this is disrespectful ... no chance.

“No chance ... I don’t know ... for me, after he did this, no chance ... zero.”

Gombau wouldn’t elaborate on whether the club would release Cassio — he is contracted until the end of May — during FIFA’s transfer window in January.

“This is the club things,’’ Gombau said.

But the Reds boss declared his relationship with Cassio is normal — before becoming agitated at the line of questioning.

“First one if I am honest we are speaking so much about Cassio,’’ Gombau said.

“Tomorrow we play a game that is important and we won a game two days ago that in the history of the club nobody win.

“We are speaking about a player that is not on the park.

“That is too much.

“I don’t want to have anymore questions about Cassio.”

Gombau was then asked whether the relationship could be healed.

“It’s not my problem. I don’t have any problem with him (Cassio),’’ Gombau said.

“He don’t have the problem with me.

“Now he have the problem with his teammates for not coming to say ‘congratulations’.

“I can understand that he don’t like me or he thinks that I am not a good coach or he thinks that the club ... but his teammates?

“For a player that is playing with them every day he don’t shake hands and say ‘come on, we can win’ or ‘congratulations’ because we won.

“Are we happy for this? Come on.”