Ange Postecoglou says Victory's friendly against Brisbane was a "wasted experience". Source: News Limited
FRUSTRATED Melbourne Victory coach Ange Postecoglou has declared his side's 1-0 trial loss to Brisbane Roar a waste of time because of the poor playing surface at North Ipswich Reserve.
Roar youngster Kwame Yeboah scored the only goal of Saturday's scrappy game with six minutes left, but Postecoglou did not care about the result..
Instead, he was concerned about the 90 minutes on a bumpy pitch having become an inconvenience in the Victory's preparations for the A-League season starting on October 11.
''It was a wasted exercise,'' Postecoglou told The Sunday Mail.
''All of our other trials, we're going to play on surfaces that are indicative of what we're going to play on in the season.
''It's disappointing. From our perspective, we have to adjust our planning again.''
Postecoglou feared a surface problem when notified the game was being played at the home of the Ipswich Jets rugby league team, having experienced similar issues at the venue during his time as Brisbane coach.
''I was worried, but I was assured everything was going to be great. You assume people understand that we're preparing for the season and we wanted a good hit out,'' he said.
''We didn't really learn anything today apart from that it was a scrappy game on a poor surface.''
His biggest relief was that his team, minus Mark Milligan, Archie Thompson and Kosta Barbarouses, emerged unscathed in terms of injury, particularly Gui Finkler, who was only in his second match back after a knee reconstruction.
''We told him to be careful and not to get too involved,''Postecoglou admitted.
''It's something all A-League clubs should have a look at. We're all preparing for a season that's going to be challenging and the last thing we want is players getting hurt on surfaces that aren't up to scratch.
''Every A-League club should have equal responsibility.''
The Victory finished with 10 men after substitute Francesco Stella was sent off for a second bookable offence with about 15 minutes left.
Postecoglou was involved in a heated sideline discussion with referee Alan Milliner soon after Stella's dismissal.
But it was not about the send-off, instead the amount of substitutes permitted to be made by each team.
Milliner planned to limit the replacements to five for each team, much to Postecoglou's anger.
''In most friendly games I've been involved with, you can make as many substitutions as you like,'' he said.
''We're preparing for the season. It defeats the purpose if you can't.''
Milliner relented, allowing Postecoglou to bring on trialling striker Brent McGrath, who only a week again was a Melbourne Heart triallist.
The Roar had an injury scare when left fullback Shane Stefanutto was replaced after 20 minutes with a knee injury after colliding with the Victory's Andrew Nabbout.
But it was later not deemed to be a serious problem by relieved Roar coach Mike Mulvey, who also had concerns with the surface.
''The pitch wasn't the smoothest surface we've played on but if we can play the quality football we played at times on that, it's good signs for we we're on good carpet,'' Mulvey said.
Both sides continue their pre-season campaigns on Wednesday, with the Victory hosting Newcastle at AAMI Park, and the Roar travelling to Toowoomba to take on NPL side Western Pride.
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