Post by QPR Report on Mar 17, 2009 13:56:36 GMT
Knew we should have kept him! 
Italian star stands between Mariners and victory
Peter Kogoy | March 18, 2009 - The Australian
MARINERS coach Lawrie McKinna has singled out a former Italy World Cup star as the biggest threat to the Central Coast's hopes of securing its first win in the Asian Champions League in China tonight.
McKinna sees Damiano Tommasi, who earned 25 caps for Italy between 1998 and 2003, as the midfield rock Chinese opponent Tianjin Teda builds its game around.
Tommasi is relishing his move to China, having starred in the Italian Serie A for more than a decade, first with Verona, then Roma, where he was part of the 2001 title-winning side. After 10 years in the capital, Tommasi joined Levante in Spain's La Liga in 2006 for two seasons before a brief spell with Queens Park Rangers in the English Championship last year.
"I watched him play in the domestic league at the weekend and he did OK," McKinna said.
"He's still only 34 and been capped at every level in the Italian game which you've got to respect.
"He's a class act and no stranger to Asian football, having been ever present for the Azzurri at the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea.
"Tianjin has Tommasi playing a holding role in midfield alongside Frenchman Jean-Philippe Caillet which means our strikers Matt Simon and Nik Mrdja will have to be right on the ball."
Simon was the Mariners' top scorer last season with 11 goals and was rewarded with a call-up to Pim Verbeek's squad against Indonesia.
With Mile Jedinak now playing in Europe, Simon's form in front of goal is shaping as pivotal to the Mariners' chances of overcoming the club's first competitive hurdle in Asia.
McKinna will be wary of trying to attack Tianjin too openly from the opening whistle, and is more concerned about first winning the battle in midfield.
To that end he has named Dean Heffernan to start at left midfield rather than his more accustomed role of fullback.
"My other worry about Tianjin is their attack, built around Mark Bridge and Brazilian Eber Luis," McKinna said.
"I know enough about Bridge from his time at Sydney FC where he made a regular habit of scoring against us."
Tonight's opposition also boasts a number of players from the Chinese national team.
McKinna is still searching for that breakthrough win in group H of the ACL after drawing 0-0 at home against Korea's Pohang Steelers last week. He's made one change to the squad, promoting Dylan Macallister to the bench in favour of new signing Nick Rizzo from Perth Glory. "Nothing against Rizzo, I just believe Macallister is more of an attacking option for us up front coming off the bench," McKinna said.
"My players have to believe that they can come here and get a result. I think we can come away with a win, but realistically, if we come away with a draw, it's still a good result."
The Mariners had their training run on a lush Tianjin Stadium surface yesterday.
"My blokes need little reminding of what's at stake tonight," McKinna said.
"A win tonight will be a big boost for our next home game against Japan's Kawasaki Frontale in three weeks."
www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25202633-5003460,00.html
Italian star stands between Mariners and victory
Peter Kogoy | March 18, 2009 - The Australian
MARINERS coach Lawrie McKinna has singled out a former Italy World Cup star as the biggest threat to the Central Coast's hopes of securing its first win in the Asian Champions League in China tonight.
McKinna sees Damiano Tommasi, who earned 25 caps for Italy between 1998 and 2003, as the midfield rock Chinese opponent Tianjin Teda builds its game around.
Tommasi is relishing his move to China, having starred in the Italian Serie A for more than a decade, first with Verona, then Roma, where he was part of the 2001 title-winning side. After 10 years in the capital, Tommasi joined Levante in Spain's La Liga in 2006 for two seasons before a brief spell with Queens Park Rangers in the English Championship last year.
"I watched him play in the domestic league at the weekend and he did OK," McKinna said.
"He's still only 34 and been capped at every level in the Italian game which you've got to respect.
"He's a class act and no stranger to Asian football, having been ever present for the Azzurri at the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea.
"Tianjin has Tommasi playing a holding role in midfield alongside Frenchman Jean-Philippe Caillet which means our strikers Matt Simon and Nik Mrdja will have to be right on the ball."
Simon was the Mariners' top scorer last season with 11 goals and was rewarded with a call-up to Pim Verbeek's squad against Indonesia.
With Mile Jedinak now playing in Europe, Simon's form in front of goal is shaping as pivotal to the Mariners' chances of overcoming the club's first competitive hurdle in Asia.
McKinna will be wary of trying to attack Tianjin too openly from the opening whistle, and is more concerned about first winning the battle in midfield.
To that end he has named Dean Heffernan to start at left midfield rather than his more accustomed role of fullback.
"My other worry about Tianjin is their attack, built around Mark Bridge and Brazilian Eber Luis," McKinna said.
"I know enough about Bridge from his time at Sydney FC where he made a regular habit of scoring against us."
Tonight's opposition also boasts a number of players from the Chinese national team.
McKinna is still searching for that breakthrough win in group H of the ACL after drawing 0-0 at home against Korea's Pohang Steelers last week. He's made one change to the squad, promoting Dylan Macallister to the bench in favour of new signing Nick Rizzo from Perth Glory. "Nothing against Rizzo, I just believe Macallister is more of an attacking option for us up front coming off the bench," McKinna said.
"My players have to believe that they can come here and get a result. I think we can come away with a win, but realistically, if we come away with a draw, it's still a good result."
The Mariners had their training run on a lush Tianjin Stadium surface yesterday.
"My blokes need little reminding of what's at stake tonight," McKinna said.
"A win tonight will be a big boost for our next home game against Japan's Kawasaki Frontale in three weeks."
www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25202633-5003460,00.html
