Mathew Leckie admits Melbourne City ‘just not good enough’ in embarrassing grand final loss

Socceroo Mathew Leckie is still coming to terms with Melbourne City’s grand final capitulation.

Mathew Leckie fails to make clean contact with a header during Melbourne City’s humiliating grand final loss. Picture: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

Socceroos star Mathew Leckie says Melbourne City being denied hard-earned grand final hosting rights was no excuse for the team’s shocking performance in the A-League decider.

Having dominated the competition for the entire season, topping table and finishing 11 points ahead of second-placed Central Coast, City was inexplicably thrashed 6-1 by the Mariners at CommBank Stadium on Saturday night.

“I’ve been going on about it all week that you can be as good as we have been all season … but if you’re not at your best, something like this could happen,” Leckie said.

“We knew they were dangerous on the counter (attack) and we just weren’t good enough to stop that.”

City should have hosted the final, having been the highest-placed team to reach the decider.

However, the A-League’s financially driven decision to sell the match to the NSW government led to the Gosford-based Mariners having more the double the amount of supporters than City in the crowd of 26,523.

Mathew Leckie is distraught after Melbourne City’s shocking grand final loss. Picture: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

“They were always going to have more fans. They’re only an hour away (from the Parramatta venue),” Leckie said.

“We knew that, and we’ve played plenty of games away this season and got a win, so it’s not an excuse, especially not for having conceded six goals.”

“Losing is one thing but losing 6-1 is really disappointing. The season’s over and we’re on the bad end of it.”

And for the first time, with City having lost the grand final for the past two seasons and three of the past four deciders.

“We always want to get better, and I think the past (four) years we’ve shown how good we can be,” Leckie said.

“Unfortunately the two moments, (Saturday night) d last season, we weren’t as good as we can be, and ultimately we paid the price.

“All we can do is continue to work hard, which we always do.”

Leckie is likely to have the consolation prize of being named on Tuesday by national coach Graham Arnold in the Socceroos squad for this month’s friendly against Argentina in China.

“If ‘Arnie’ picks me, I would love to go, If I’m on the squad list, I’ll be there,” the attacking winger said.