FFA Cup shouldn’t runneth over into season: Marco Kurz

Adelaide United coach Marco Kurz believes officials needs to look seriously at the scheduling of the FFA Cup.

Adelaide players go through their paces at Coopers Stadium yesterday ahead of tonight’s home match against Newcastle. Picture: AAP

Adelaide United coach Marco Kurz believes Football Federation Australia needs to look seriously at the scheduling of the FFA Cup amid concerns clubs are being asked to do too much to try and cope with both competitions.

The Reds will play Newcastle Jets at Coopers Stadium in their second A-League game of the season tonight but the media attention was focused on the cup final against Sydney FC and the fact they have to back up four days after playing last season’s beaten A-League grand finalists.

Defending cup champions Sydney will have it worse, forced to back up just three days after the derby against Western Sydney at the Sydney Cricket Ground tomorrow night, with coach Steve Corica likely to be forced to leave out some key players next Tuesday night.

“Of course, the players are motivated to win a trophy so early in the season, but I think it is best to think about the future (what to do with the cup competition),” Kurz said yesterday.

“We need to finish the cup before the start of the (A-League) season. It is not good to play midweek games with not enough of a break. It is not fair on Sydney, too.

“You need more power than other teams, and to have to play and perform in both cup and the league (in such a short time span) is not easy.

“I think there is enough time to play the cup in the pre-season and to finish it before the league starts.”

The German feels it would also be ideal for the cup to be a stand alone game and played on a weekend.

“Why not? It would be good before the start of the season, good for the players, the fans and the families,” he said. “And it would be good for the clubs because you can play the cup then concentrate on the league.”

Cup final aside, Kurz said he is focusing on tonight’s match against a side he rates highly. Certainly he is taking no notice of the Jets’ shock loss to Wellington Phoenix last week in the opening round.

“Fasten your seat belts,” he said with a smile. “Newcastle is maybe the best offensive team in the league. I like their style, I like the team.

“They have high quality players, especially in attack ... very quick, very technical.

“For me, they were unlucky to lose to Wellington. They had two or three one on ones with the goalkeeper and also some things (VAR and refereeing decisions) against them.”

As they did in the 1-1 draw with Sydney FC last week, Kurz wants his team to continue to press high and try and force the opposition into mistakes. It worked well for most part against the Sky Blues, who needed a late equaliser to come away with a point.

United have some injury concerns over attackers Baba Diawarra and George Blackwood, though both trained yesterday and are expected to be named in the squad.