Marco Kurz due for talks over future with Adelaide United

Marco Kurz will next week open talks on his future with Adelaide United.

Adelaide United coach Marco Kurz. Picture: AAP

Marco Kurz will next week open talks on his future with Adelaide United, amid speculation A-League rivals are circling the German-born manager.

Kurz is off contract at Adelaide in June, with his future at the club also expected to influence whether a number of Reds players also re-sign.

“I have clear thoughts, clear ideas, for my future and also for the future of the club and then we must find out if we find a way together or not,” Kurz said.

“It’s part of the game, it’s professional … and I think it’s normal.

“My focus is clear for the next game, that’s it. And if it’s time to speak about (the future), I am well prepared for the chat.”

Kurz and Adelaide hierarchy have agreed to begin talks at the end of the month. The German is understood be on the radar of rivals Brisbane Roar, who parted with John Aloisi mid-season.

Kurz has won widespread plaudits since taking over Adelaide in June 2017, winning the FFA Cup in October last year and taking the Reds to the Cup final and A-League finals the previous season.

Adelaide are well placed for another finals campaign this season, currently sitting in fourth spot on the ladder.

Up to nine United players are due to fall off-contract in June, including foreign duo Ken Ilso and Baba Diawara, plus Australians Scott Galloway, Michael Marrone and Nikola Mileusnic.

“The players want to know who is the coach, that is clear, if they sign or not it’s up to who is the coach in the next season,” Kurz said.

“But that’s normal … it makes not easier, but it is what it is.”

Meanwhile, Perth Glory coach Tony Popovic says it will be a special feeling heading back to Western Sydney this weekend but he’s not sure how Wanderers fans will receive him.

Popovic was the Wanderers’ inaugural coach and defied all odds to guide the club to the 2014 Asian Champions League title.

But the Wanderers have struggled since Popovic quit the club on the eve of last season to take up a job in Turkey.

Western Sydney finished seventh last season and currently sit in eighth spot — 12 points adrift of the top six.

Popovic’s stint in Turkey was short lived but he has since transformed Perth Glory into an A-League powerhouse.

Glory sit nine points clear on top of the table and will extend their unbeaten run to a new club record 11 games if they can avoid a loss in Sunday’s clash with the Wanderers at Spotless Stadium.

Popovic has already faced the Wanderers twice this season — a 1-1 draw in round one and a 4-3 win in round 13.

Both those games were in Perth and Popovic is looking forward to heading to Western Sydney’s home patch to see some familiar faces. But how the crowd will greet him remains to be seen.

“You don’t know with fans what the reaction will be,” Popovic said. “Whatever it is, I’m sure deep down they’ll respect the time we had together. How they show that will be up to them.

“I’ve got fantastic memories from my time there. I still have a lot of friends there and I’m sure I’ll see them before and after.

“But during the game it’s business as usual. We want the three points.”

AAP