Melbourne Heart head coach John van ‘t Schip won’t be making wholesale changes with his side now out of finals contention, believing that the current line-up deserves the chance to see out the season.
The 2-1 loss to Central Coast Mariners meant that realistically, Heart have no chance of making the finals with only three games remaining.
van ‘t Schip said that he may look at shaking up his line-up to see what some players can offer, but will not be making changes for the sake of it.
“I think mathematically it is possible but normally it’s over so we just have to prepare ourselves for the coming three games to finish as good as possible, who knows what there still is in but our focus is going to be looking forward for the next season,” van ‘t Schip said.
“I think we should just approach them in a very professional and normal way but it’s a good moment to see other players or have a look if some players can be worthwhile in a different kind of position and that’s something that we’ll think about.
“We’re not going to change this team in a way that everybody thinks that we’re playing with a totally different team, because the team that’s playing now deserves to also play games.
“[It] could be that one or two players need a rest and that’s where we can see if another player can fill in.
“And if we look at last two months actually a lot of the players we’ve had in, we’re talking about 15-16 players that mostly are involved in the game and you have to think about those players, so it’s not going to be that now, totally different players are going to end up in the line-up.”
One player that should see out the season will be marquee signing Orlando Engelaar, who scored a sensational goal from within his own half against the Mariners.
van ‘t Schip praised the wonder strike, as well as everything else the Dutchman has brought to the team since returning from injury.
“It’s a great goal, I remember a goal from Alex [Terra], Perth away was a great goal but this is a special moment,” he said.
“You could see the ball going and you think what’s happening and everybody’s reacting in a way that it’s great and it’s nice for the game but I think Orlando and I would prefer to have the three points.
“It was a big disappointment for everyone in the club that he got injured and we all knew that he was going to bring something different, and being out that long and I think he’s still not in his 100% fitness because coming in halfway in the season and having a different kind of pre-season if you can say it like that, it’s always going to be difficult.
“But his contribution has been good and he’s still having some little issues during the week but you could see his touch and his contribution to the team is very positive.”
As for Engelaar’s future, van ‘t Schip couldn’t guarantee that the midfield giant will remain at the club next season, with so much still up in the air following the takeover from the Manchester City group.
“It’s very short of course because my appointment has only been a week and of course we are thinking about things and I had a little chat with him,” he said.
“He’s having some things that he wants to think over and we have also things that we’re looking at for the future so in the coming week’s we’ll see what happens.
Image: Matt Johnson