Ange Postecoglou said he believes Victory’s toils this season including heavy defeats to the Central Coast Mariners and Brisbane Roar as well as last week’s extra-time win over Perth have galvanised the playing group.
Ange Postecoglou said he believes Victory’s toils this season including heavy defeats to the Central Coast Mariners and Brisbane Roar as well as last week’s extra-time win over Perth have galvanised the playing group.
The Mariners defeated Victory 6-2 in Gosford last time they met, but Postecoglou believes it’s results like that and last week’s hard-fought win over the Glory that have helped the group develop belief ahead of Sunday’s final against Central Coast at Bluetongue Stadium.
“We’ve had our challenges but we’ve maintained the belief in what we do. It hasn’t always been smooth sailing but if anything I think that breeds more belief,” Postecoglou said.
“Last week’s a classic example, if we had have won easy we would have felt good about it but doing it the way we did gives us the belief that we can overcome adversity.
“We took a lot away from it (the 6-2 defeat to the Mariners), if we’re not good we’ll get hammered. We were poor and they were fantastic.”
Postecoglou said he’s under no illusions as to the ‘enormity of the task’ ahead of the sudden-death semi-final on Sunday with the Mariners home record imposing.
Graham Arnold’s side have lost only once in 14 games at home this season but Postecoglou expects an entirely different dynamic in the finals, where he says he has that ‘familiar feeling’.
The Victory coach has lost only one cut-throat final in his club coaching career, with South Melbourne in 1998, and has two A-League titles to suggest he knows how to get the job done in the business end of the season.
“Finals games are totally different. There’s more of an edge there’s more pressure and pressure does funny things to individuals and to teams,” he said.
“I’m under no illusions of the enormity of the task of going to Central Coast and knocking them off.
“It’s (Mariners home form) reflective of their season.
“That’s their reward for finishing in the top two and that’s our penance for not doing that.
“If we’re going to win the competition we’re going to do it the hard and if we do we’ll be worthy winners.
“I’d be very surprised if it’s one sided. I’m sure for everyone looking on it’ll be a thrilling, competitive game.”
A home final will be on offer if Victory manage to win and Postecoglou’s old side Brisbane can knock off premier Western Sydney, while a Wanderers win will ensure at the very least some Asian Champions League participation.
“It’s going to be a tight one as well, Western Sydney have been the outstanding team all season and Brisbane arguably are the form side at the moment.
“If we win and Brisbane win we’ll get a home final which would be great and if Western Sydney win we’re guaranteed some Asian Champions League participation so I can sit back and have a beer and cheer them both on tonight.”
Injured duo Gui Finkler and Adama Traore are unavailable from an otherwise ‘full fit’ squad with Marcos Flores the most likely candidate to earn a starting berth from the side that defeated Perth last week.