Triple choke breathes life into A-League playoff fight

It seemingly looked done and dusted a month ago.

The Newcastle Jets, led by the likes of attacking midfielder Dimitri Petratos, are making a surge as the A-League finals approach. Picture: Getty Images

It seemingly looked done and dusted a month ago.

With a third of the season still to go, the concern was that the A-League season would lack interest as six teams sat pretty in the spots for the playoffs, leaving the bottom four to start sorting out their plans for next season.

But something funny has happened on the long road to the ­finals.

Choking is perhaps too harsh a word, but there can be no denying that Adelaide United (fourth), Melbourne City (fifth) and Wellington Phoenix (sixth) are now experiencing “squeaky bum time” — a line former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson often used to describe the unpleasant feeling that comes with pressure at the business end of a campaign.

All three clubs are now looking nervously over their shoulders as we go into the last rounds of the regular season and the real business of finals football starts in the first week of May.

As last season’s beaten grand ­finalists, the surging Newcastle Jets look ready to pounce in seventh place, it appears we could be in for quite a finish as the four clubs battle for play-off three spots.

Also at stake is fourth spot and the advantage of a home final that comes with it. That battle is even tighter and could be determined by goal difference.

Ernie Merrick has always been confident his side would make a move, and the veteran Newcastle coach’s prediction has been unerringly accurate. The Jets are building some decent momentum, winning three and drawing two of their past five games.

In comparison, Adelaide (four games), Melbourne City (six) and Wellington (four) have not managed a single win in 14 games between them.

How much of their slumps can be attributed to outside influences is a matter for conjecture. It is instructive, however, that there have been lingering doubts about the futures of all three coaches — Marco Kurtz (Adelaide), Warren Joyce (City) and Mark Rudan (Phoenix).

Despite winning an FFA Cup and having his side in the top six in the two seasons he has been here, Kurtz has yet to be offered a new deal with the Reds.

The German has won over the fans but seemingly not the United hierarchy.

The drums have been beating for some time that Joyce is no longer wanted at City. A report recently suggested he was on the verge of being sacked before the end of the season. But he is still there and it is likely too late to change at this stage of the season.

Rudan, a candidate for coach of the year after turning around the fortunes at Phoenix, has been the subject of much speculation despite having a two-year deal with the Kiwis. He has been linked with the job at Western United FC, the A-League’s newest club, which will enter the expanded competition next season.

Wellington will be looking to get some breathing space when they play Central Coast Mariners in Gosford today to complete the split round 21.

A win against the wooden-spooners-in-waiting will extend the gap between Phoenix and the Jets to five points.

There’s a lot of soccer to be played between now and the end of the regular season and it is likely the battle won’t be decided until the final round in the last week of next month.

Adelaide and Phoenix have the toughest runs home. United have to play four teams in the top six — leaders Perth Glory, Phoenix, City and Melbourne Victory — and the Kiwis have the Jets, Adelaide, City and Perth.

Melbourne City and Newcastle have almost identical draws. They both play Sydney FC, Central Coast, Wellington, Western Sydney and Brisbane. City’s other game is against Adelaide and the Jets play Perth.

All four sides get to play the bottom two teams in the league — Brisbane Roar (9th) and Central Coast (10th).

For the Phoenix, a win by two clear goals or more against the Mariners will not only enhance their spot in the six, but will also move them into fourth spot, as captain Andrew Durante knows.

“I wouldn’t say it is a must-win, but it would certainly put us in a really good position,” Durante said. “We know it’s a tight race for the ­finals and there is a lot of pressure.

“But this is a great opportunity for us. A win means we don’t have to rely on the teams below us (to cause upsets).”

Still, the veteran defender is taking nothing for granted despite the fact the Mariners have won just one game this season.

“It will be a difficult game, no doubt. They have led in something like nine or 10 of their games this season,” he said.