EXCLUSIVE: Lawrie McKinna believes talk of revenge is a potentially damaging distraction and will warn his players to forget past pain as they prepare to face Newcastle Jets.
The Central Coast Mariners boss takes his injury-hit squad to EnergyAustralia Stadium tomorrow night for the first game of the new A-League season with up to five senior players ruled out.
While plenty of people have been happy to stoke up the encounter as a chance to gain revenge for last season’s grand final defeat at the hands of Gary van Egmond’s Jets, McKinna insists the focus must be forward not back.
The Mariners got off to a flying start last season, a 1-0 win against Sydney FC setting them up for an excellent campaign.
McKinna wants another positive first 90 minutes from his troops at EnergyAustralia Stadium.
He told au.fourfourtwo.com: “Going into this game we’re just looking towards getting three points from what is another big derby game.
“I think if you start trying to ‘make up’ for last season’s grand final defeat then you can become distracted from the aim – the points.
“It’s nothing to do with revenge.
"To open up the Hyundai A-League season, against Newcastle, away from home – it doesn’t get any harder or any better than that, we’re looking forward to a great atmosphere with a great traveling support for the Mariners.
We could probably turn up on Friday and not say anything to the players – just put the eleven on the park and everything else will take over, the boys will switch on as there is definitely an edge when it comes to games against the Jets.
"Away from home, going up there and getting a draw would be a good result, but we’ll be going up there to try and win, but if we come away with a point, or three, fantastic.”
While plenty of people have been happy to stoke up the encounter as a chance to gain revenge for last season’s grand final defeat at the hands of Gary van Egmond’s Jets, McKinna insists the focus must be forward not back.
The Mariners got off to a flying start last season, a 1-0 win against Sydney FC setting them up for an excellent campaign.
McKinna wants another positive first 90 minutes from his troops at EnergyAustralia Stadium.
He told au.fourfourtwo.com: “Going into this game we’re just looking towards getting three points from what is another big derby game.
“I think if you start trying to ‘make up’ for last season’s grand final defeat then you can become distracted from the aim – the points.
“It’s nothing to do with revenge.
"To open up the Hyundai A-League season, against Newcastle, away from home – it doesn’t get any harder or any better than that, we’re looking forward to a great atmosphere with a great traveling support for the Mariners.
We could probably turn up on Friday and not say anything to the players – just put the eleven on the park and everything else will take over, the boys will switch on as there is definitely an edge when it comes to games against the Jets.
"Away from home, going up there and getting a draw would be a good result, but we’ll be going up there to try and win, but if we come away with a point, or three, fantastic.”
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