Wellington Phoenix coach Ricki Herbert has been forced into a late change for today’s clash with Brisbane Roar at Suncorp Stadium with Leo Bertos pulling up sore after the team’s final training session on Saturday.
Wellington Phoenix coach Ricki Herbert has been forced into a late change for today-s clash with Brisbane Roar at Suncorp Stadium with Leo Bertos pulling up sore after the team-s final training session on Saturday.
While Bertos is well enough to take his place on the bench, Herbert wasn-t prepared to take the chance of him starting.
“Leo has got through training okay this week but after training yesterday he felt a little sore,” Herbert said.
“He had a fitness test this morning and it was decided not to risk starting him.”
It means a reshuffle with Vince Lia moving to right back, Isaka Cernak dropping into midfield with Manny Muscat and Tyler Boyd joining the attack alongside Paul Ifill, Louis Fenton and debutant Corey Gameiro.
There is also a change of goalkeeper with Glen Moss replacing Mark Paston.
“Mark has been done well for us and made some good saves, but I just felt we needed freshening up and Glen was always going to challenge him at some point,” Herbert said.
“It will also be interesting to see how Corey goes up front.
“He has been positive in training and it is pointless bringing him in on loan from Fulham if we don-t give him a chance to show what he can do.”
With three home games on the horizon, albeit one of those is being played in Dunedin, it would be a big boost for the Phoenix if they could leave Brisbane with points in the bag, especially with Perth Glory beating league leaders Central Coast Mariners on Saturday night.
