Melbourne Heart FC NYL midfielder Dusan Bosnjak believes his side has optimised its preparation to ensure maximum performance at the Hawaiian Islands Invitational later this week.
Melbourne Heart FC NYL midfielder Dusan Bosnjak believes his side has optimised its preparation to ensure maximum performance at the Hawaiian Islands Invitational later this week.
John Aloisi-s youth side will take on K-League outfit Busan I-Park in the opening match of the tournament on Friday (Australian time) as Heart searches for its first piece of silverware in history.
While the draw has hardly done Heart any favours, with Busan recognised as one of the leading clubs in Korea, Bosnjak said the fact Heart has structured its National Youth League campaign around the event could prove in its favour.
“The matches we were supposed to play this weekend in the National Youth League were played a couple of weeks ago, so we-ve built our season around this event,” he said.
“Hopefully we-ve done the right things to bring us some good results.”
“Although the players at this stage, don-t know too much about Busan, our first opponents, the coaching staff have done their research and we-re looking forward to a good game.”
Should Heart secure an upset triumph over the fancied K-League side on Friday, it is likely to face an even sterner challenge in the form of the Colorado Rapids.
The 2010 MLS Champions, Colorado has sent a full strength squad to Hawaii for the event, and while the franchise remains in the midst of its pre-season, the Denver-based team are ranked as undoubted competition favourites.
With Heart facing the prospect of a parochial crowd should it meet the Rapids on Sunday, Bosnjak was quizzed over his side-s experience competing in such an atmosphere.
But the NYL captain, who has relinquished his armband to Socceroo legend Josip Skoko for the event, doesn-t believe it will be a factor.
“We-re fine with playing away from home. We-ve experienced vocal home crowds before and coped pretty well,” he said.
