‘We can make a good season into a perfect one’: Kurz plotting Glory upset

If Adelaide United coach Marco Kurz needed a sign his players were showing no ill-effects from Sunday’s gruelling Elimination Final against Melbourne City, he got it during a training session on Tuesday.

The Reds’ training base was hit by a freak lightning strike which damaged part of the venue’s facilities and had the players racing for shelter.

While Kurz admitted it’s understandable to have some fatigue after requiring 120-minutes to beat City 1-0, the Reds boss believes his players have enough reserves of energy for Friday night’s Semi-Final against Premiers Perth Glory.

"I was surprised by how quick they ran off the pitch because in the training they looked a bit tired and slow but the sprint was very good, very fast," Kurz told reporters on Wednesday.

“I think we are ready. We have another two days we need for recovery but come Friday, we’ll be ready.”

Looking to give his side every chance to pull off a shock against Glory and qualify for the decider, Kurz and the Reds are heading to Perth a day earlier than normal to prepare.

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The build-up to the Adelaide United's first Semi-Final in three years - a 4-1 win over Melbourne City in April 2016 - has been all about recovery, in contrast to Glory who will have a full 11-day break since their last match in Round 27, a 5-0 win over Wellington Phoenix.

"The advantage is with Perth because we have only five days rest, we have to travel, the flight, the time, distance…all of them, it's not an advantage for us but Perth,” Kurz conceded.

“But they [Glory] have worked really well to have this advantage. They've finished in position one and that's the reward in Australia.

"We are not the favourites away in Perth, we are the underdog but that doesn't mean we're scared or will start very defensively.

“We’ll have our chances and we can make a very good season maybe into a perfect one. That’s what we want.”

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