Roar striker Maclaren ready to bounce back from poor qualifier
Jamie Maclaren’s second time in an Australian jumper didn’t go according to plan but he’ll bounce back says Matt McKay.
Jamie Maclaren’s second time in an Australian jumper didn’t go according to plan, but his Brisbane Roar teammate Matt McKay expects the talented striker to bounce back against competition frontrunners Sydney FC at Suncorp Stadium tonight.
The experienced McKay is no stranger to having to back up so soon at club level after playing for the national team and says it can be tough mentally and physically.
But it might be that little bit tougher for Maclaren, who is coming off just his second game for the Socceroos after playing in the 2-2 draw with Thailand in a World Cup qualifier in Bangkok on Tuesday night.
With Tim Cahill left behind in Australia and Tomi Juric injured, Ange Postecoglou gave the 23-year-old his chance upfront against the Thais. It didn’t quite turn out the way Maclaren had hoped.
He saw little ball and had few chances before being replaced by Nathan Burns after 57 minutes. Maclaren watched as Burns made almost an immediate impact with some strong runs and a shot that skimmed the crossbar.
While McKay says it can be difficult to make the transition back to club football, the Roar captain does not believe Maclaren has been affected confidence wise.
“It can be tough. I know what it is like because I have experienced it overs the years,’’ McKay said yesterday.
“He will learn over time, though, as he is selected more and more for the national team.
“But his confidence is good. Nothing seems to faze him. He looked good at training the other day and was putting away the goals so he is in a good space.
“The thing is, he should take great comfort for the fact Ange showed his trust in him and started him the other night.’’
The Roar will need Maclaren firing tonight against a Sydney side that is full of confidence following a stunning six wins from six to open the season.
The Sky Blues have been wonderful in attack with 17 goals, the most of any team, and solid in defence having given away just two — the best in the league.
“There isn’t much you can say about them, they are going great,’’ McKay said yesterday.
“We played them in pre-season and we knew they would be a good outfit.
“They are full of confidence and have some great players.
“But we will enjoy the challenge.
“I would back our guys every day of the week. We have a great squad, too, and whoever gets picked will do a fantastic job.’’
McKay played down teammate Jade North’s assertion earlier in the week that the Sky Blues had had luck on their side.
“Who said that?’’ he said with a smile on his face.
“The table doesn’t lie. They are on top for a reason. They have won six from six and scored plenty of goals.
“You do that and you deserve to be where you are.’’
Brisbane have been going about their job with a minimum of fuss — three wins, two draws and a single loss sees them in third spot, seven points behind Sydney.
The Queenslanders have turned things around after a shock 4-0 loss away to Newcastle Jets in the second game of the season. They then put three wins together on the trot, including a 1-0 defeat of competition heavyweights Melbourne City two games back.
Sydney coach Graham Arnold is expected to field the same XI that beat Perth Glory 4-1 at Allianz Stadium last week. However, he will be looking for his team to make an impact early in the game against the Roar as the Sky Blues have been starting slowly in recent matches.
“The slow starts are an issue and are something we have been looking at,’’ Arnold said.
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