Soccer: Full squad for league opener

Knights apprentice Jeremy Christie has been brought into the senior squad as cover for injured Naoki Imaya. Picture / Dean Purcell

A week out from the New Zealand Knights first game in the new-look A-League, manager John Adshead is remarkably relaxed.

"What's different?" muses Adshead still mindful of three losses in Pre-Season Cup games, including an embarrassing 5-0 drubbing from next week's opponents Queensland Roar.

"Allah is looking after us," he quipped. "Unlike our last game against the Central Coast Mariners, when we were down to two on the bench, we will have pretty much a full squad to pick from next week."

In an anticipated move, Adshead this week called former under-17 international and Knights apprentice Jeremy Christie into the squad in place of Japanese midfielder Naoki Imaya.

Imaya is recovering from a broken leg sustained in a state league match in Australia.

Under the rules for the Hyundai A-League, a club can stand a player down for four weeks and call in a replacement. Adshead expects Imaya to be fully recovered in mid-September.

For next week's opener in Brisbane, Adshead expects to have at least 19 players to select from. The only player in doubt is striker Simon Yeo who has been troubled by a stomach/groin strain.

"It is a far cry from the 13 we had fit last time. The options are better. That opens the selection pressure," said Adshead.

"In all probability, I won't select this team, the players will.

"We will be there or thereabouts. I would like it to be 5-0 again, as long as it's our way.

"In reality, we have six weeks to prove something. In this league we have to be realistic. In the game against Central Coast after we had been hammered by Queensland, we didn't do a hell of a lot different. We just played without the nervousness which cost us in the earlier game.

"One or two of the players didn't cope very well. We had a 'not bad' experience in the games against Sydney and Central Coast but a 'bad' experience against Queensland."

Adshead said that "apart from one or two players" he was "pretty organised in my head" over team selection for next Sunday's game in Brisbane.

"I won't be talking about formations as our first three rivals are all teams we have seen in pre-season. We have learned from them just as they have learned about us."

Are the fans likely then to see a different team and different players in action first-up?

"Absolutely," said Adshead. "There has been a massive load of training. In pre-season I kept saying some of the legs were left on the training ground. That, at times, was obvious.

"If we are not proving ourselves in six weeks, the fans will have every right to ask questions."

The players, who had an in-squad game yesterday, will have 2 1/2 hours in the gymnasium today, a day off tomorrow, match preparation on Monday and a set play session on Tuesday.

On Wednesday they will play a low-key match against the Solomon Islands during which the side to face Queensland will play together at some stage.

Adshead expects to name the 15 players to travel before th game against the Solomons - "very much a practice".

Despite his late call-up, Christie, according to Adshead, has equal selection rights when it comes to naming the 15 players.

The Knights fly to Brisbane early on Friday morning and train lightly that day before another session at the match venue, Suncorp Stadium, on Saturday at 3pm - 24 hours ahead of their clash with the Roar.