Adelaide defender Scott Jamieson facing battle play in preliminary final
By Daniel Brettig
February 20, 2009
Adelaide United left-back Scott Jamieson and his club will both need to make miraculous recoveries if they are to defeat a serene-looking Queensland in the A-League preliminary final.
A week of tumult for United was made worse on Friday by the sight of Australia defender Jamieson watching his team's final training session before Saturday night's match at Hindmarsh Stadium on crutches, due to a sprained ankle sustained on Thursday.
His uphill battle to be fit provides a neat microcosm of the struggle Adelaide have faced to resurrect their season in the space of seven days, after a 6-0 aggregate drubbing by Melbourne caused coach
Aurelio Vidmar to unload on his club post-match.
"(Jamieson) is going to have a test tomorrow morning so we are going to wait until the very last minute," Vidmar said.
"At this point of time, it's a little bit swollen but he's a pretty tough nut and knowing Scottie he'll want to do everything, he'll move heaven and earth to play ... I could say he is 90 per cent sure of playing.
"The crutches are just are precaution, to take the weight off and what he's been doing yesterday and so far today is resting it and icing it."
Jamieson's problem is one of several injury issues for Adelaide, who on Friday ruled out Diego due to a lack of match fitness and must also monitor a corked leg for fellow Brazilian Alemao.
Then there is the question of whether Vidmar and his assistants have been successful in removing the "s**t" from the minds of their players,
apparently to blame for a pair of losses to Melbourne where a tight Asian Champions League outfit became a rabble.
"We can't get any worse for sure because they were two of the worst performances of our season," Vidmar said.
"I'm sure the players will be fired up and they need to be and we need a lot of support her tomorrow and I'm sure well get that.
"I know if we can play up to our maximum performance then you're always a good show to win the game."
Last but far from least, Adelaide will need to overcome a rotten record in the league play-offs, where they are yet to win a match inside 120 minutes.
United's only success of any kind was a penalty shootout win over Newcastle in the 2007 preliminary final, and Queensland have made a point of practising spot kicks this week, just in case.
Both sides are acutely aware that victory will open the door to a 2010 Asian Champions League campaign.
Queensland's line-up is settled, with the combative Danny Tiatto's recall the only major change from
last week's defeat of the Central Coast Mariners.
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