Melbourne Heart coach John van ‘t Schip believes the “confidence is growing” as his side prepares to face Perth Glory in sweltering conditions on Sunday afternoon at Albury’s Lavington Sports Ground.
Both sides arrive in Albury in comparatively good form, with Heart losing only one of their last five games, with their last defeat coming at the hands of this weekend’s opponents.
“The group is good and the confidence is there,” van ‘t Schip said.
“I think, not looking at results the boys are physically good and playing good football and now with the results of the last few games the confidence is only growing.”
Nick Kalmar looks likely to take his place in the starting line-up in place of suspended marquee Orlando Engelaar, whilst van ‘t Schip eluded that a starting berth for David Williams was a likely proposition.
“There are a few options,” he said.
“David Williams of course came and and he can play, there are youth players that could come in so I’m not going to say at this moment so we are going to announce the team on Sunday.”
With a scorching 42 degrees forecast for Sunday’s fixture, van ‘t Schip acknowledged that the heat would be a considerable factor during the contest but insisted it’s something his side will have to cope with if they are any chance of earning a result.
“If it’s like that I think it’s not the perfect circumstances but we have to deal with that,” he said.
“You want to play a game of course in good conditions, not only for the players but because they are the important part of the game but also for the crowd.
“With that heat you cannot play at a high pace, you have probably more moments where you will have to drop in, be very careful when you press and all those kinds of things are going to be important in playing in a temperature like that.
“Then again it still stays as your game and there will be spaces and it will be open so it’s also going to be a mental kind of thing that you’re not only playing against an opponent but you’re also playing against the circumstances.”
Melbourne Heart and Perth Glory square up in Altona, with tomorrows kick-off at Lavington Sports Ground scheduled for 3:00pm.