Soccer: Adshead has eye on wider horizon

John Adshead has one eye on tonight's game in Perth, the other on the bigger picture in looking ahead.

In Perth since Sunday to spend time with his very ill mother, Adshead said he has looked carefully at the players he has with him and hinted his starting line-up for this round 12 clash might not be too much different from that which finished last Friday's loss to Newcastle.

That could mean a first start for young striker Jeremy Brockie.

"I will have another look at that," said Adshead as he went into the team's final training session yesterday.

"We have to decide between Jeremy Brockie, Kris Bright and Simon Yeo with two of the three set to play."

Adshead said he was contemplating a slightly different midfield role for Zenon Caravella but was to wait until after the session to make a final decision on that.

Caravella has been the best of the Knights players in recent weeks and remains a key.

"The players are all in good spirits. They are out there now on their toes and have recovered well from the long trip."

Adshead, who has spent much time in Perth over the years, is well aware of what he faces and the threat posed by strikers Damian Mori and Bobby Despotovski.

"They are on song," said Adshead. "When you look at it, Perth do not create many chances but those they do have they take."

Without defenders Ronnie Bull, Neil Emblen and Frank Van Eijs, the Knights are up against it but Adshead is not rushing in to finding a replacement for Bull who has returned to England.

"There is no quick fix as I have already said but we will look at it in the wider picture," said Adshead who watched the NZFC clash between Auckland City and Canterbury United before flying out to Perth. Given how early in the season it is, that was a good game.

"We will be taking a much closer look at the NZFC. For the players I saw for the first time I will now be keen to see them another four or five times before making a judgment.

"We are setting up a little identity programme to have as good a look as we can at a number of players."

Adshead plans to meet All Whites coach Ricki Herbert next week and discuss a number of likely players with him.

The squads New Zealand Knight v Perth Glory in Perth, 12am tonight

Perth Glory: Jason Petrovic, Matt Horsley, Simon Colosimo, Jamie Harnwell, Steve McMahon, Scott Miller, Nick Ward, Bobby Despotovski, Jamie Coyne, Billy Celeski, Henry FaArodo, Naum Sekulovski, Adrian Caceres, Damian Mori, Milan Jovanic.

NZ Knights: Danny Milosevic, Darren Bazeley, John Tambouras, Danny Hay, Steve Fitzsimmons, Ben Collett, Simon Yeo, Zenon Caravella, Cole Tinkler, Jeremy Brockie, Josh Maguire, Josh Rose, Naoki Imaya, Kris Bright, Glen Moss.