Burleigh Heads are reeling at the loss of players who have decided to chase success elsewhere in 2020
If there’s one thing this Coast club can salvage from the 2020 Gold Coast Premier League season, it’s a team who are willing to fight when the going gets tough. DETAILS OF PLAYER EXODUS HERE.
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IF there’s one thing Burleigh Heads coach Colin Phelan can salvage from the 2020 Gold Coast Premier League season, it’s a team who are willing to fight when the going gets tough.
Five games into the abridged 2020 Premier League season, the 2019 double winners find themselves in unfamiliar territory – seventh on the table with only one win to their name.
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Following the 2019 grand final, Burleigh lost six players from their premier side due to work commitments, returning home and a handful wanting to challenge themselves at a higher level.
But the change hasn’t stopped this year with around five players across both squads deciding to switch Premier League clubs mid-season.
Injuries have also taken their toll but Phelan’s biggest disappointment is the players who have decided to chase silverware at opposition clubs.
“It’s a hard pill to swallow,” Phelan said.
“With five weeks to go, players are thinking well there’s no point staying here, we’re not going to win anything so I’ll look at the table and go somewhere with a chance.
“It’s upsetting for me as a coach because we have a lot of lads who are working hard.
“We’ve had two good years and now we’re in a position where we have to kick and scrap and fight and players are moving on.
“I’m asking players to stick together but at the end of the day, there’s nothing I can do about that and you want people playing for Burleigh who are prepared to dig themselves out of our current situation.
“The table doesn’t lie, we haven’t had a great start to the season for one reason or another but our players are still motivated to do well and there’s no one in the league this year we’re fearful of.”
Phelan said he has called on league officials to close the transfer window at the start of the season so clubs have the opportunity to play an entire season with the squad they’ve compiled.
Set to come up against their 2019 grand final opponents in Surfers Paradise on Saturday afternoon, Phelan said the pressure was on Surfers to continue their run of form.
“It doesn’t matter if you’re at the top or the bottom of the league, anyone is capable of beating anyone,” Phelan said.
“It’s 11 versus 11 so we can’t complain but we’ve failed to win games this year we would have won last year.
“If I didn’t think we could make the top four, I wouldn’t bother.
“Our goal is to sneak in and anything can happen after that but we’ve got a lot of work to do and we’ve got the players to get into the four and when they all click, we’re a good side.”
FIXTURES
Southport versus Broadbeach United
Saturday, 3pm at Ashmore Village Park
Palm Beach versus Nerang
Saturday, 6pm at Duncan McKenna fields
Burleigh Heads versus Surfers Paradise
Saturday, 6pm at Pizzey Park
Coomera versus Robina
Sunday, 3pm at Viney Park
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