Football: Otago to counter quick passing game

Otago United may not be at full strength tomorrow but its opponent, Waikato, has "aspirations to play like Barcelona", and that should create an intriguing match in Dunedin.

Waikato coach Declan Edge, after 44 caps as an All White, should know what he is talking about.

Edge is an advocate of the Lionel Messi and Barcelona philosophy of playing a crisp passing game to work the ball into the 18m box.

Rather than hoofing the ball up front and having a roving striker scavenging on the foundation of a bunker mentality, Edge says his team wants "to entertain, play fair and win games".

"Three projects we're working on: one, to play entertaining football; two, play fair and within the rules and thirdly, win football matches. We don't want to win football matches if we don't play in an entertaining way, or if we don't play fair.

"This season our first four games were very difficult. We played two of the top teams in Auckland City and Waitakere United, and had difficult away trips to Christchurch and Wellington.

"In the White Ribbon Cup we've beaten Hawkes Bay, who beat us before in pre-season, and I thought we delivered a very effective performance at Manawatu. I think this young Waikato FC side is now just learning how to beat sides in the ASB Premiership."

So, be warned, Otago.

Otago coach Richard Murray always respects the opposition, and the confident credo from Edge should lift his blue and gold team to another level of commitment.

Yet Murray admits his resources are just a bit thin at the moment, after losing two key players, Mike Cunningham and Tom Connor, to Melbourne, and with form defender Matt Joy facing a late fitness test to assess a recent foot fracture.

"We are adjusting our team shape to compensate at the moment, and the great thing for me is that our whole squad is keen to fill the gaps, and gain a regular first-team place," Murray said.

Otago regulars to set the pace are still Olympic squad candidates, team captain Tristan Prattley and midfielder Darren Overton, keen to make his mark before he, too, heads away for a job in Australia.

Coach Murray will also seek another clean sheet from veteran keeper Peter Evans, and at the other end, some burgling runs from strikers Ant Hancock and Regan Coldicott.

Otago sits on nine points, alongside Wellington in fourth place in the Premiership, while the fast-improving Waikato, with a game in hand, has three points and is second-bottom.

Historically, the teams have played each other 18 times, Otago notching six wins and Wakato five, with seven matches drawn.

"We know how important this match is for both sides, with ambitions to reach the top four," Murray said.

"But Otago's recent record of three wins from four matches encourages me to think, with 90 minutes' hard effort, we can continue to do well against Waikato.

"This is a home match. Next week, we have another in the stadium, against Wellington. I would like to think that the Otago football fans will realise how important this eight-day period is, and that they will give us the strong vocal support we need."

Otago United v Waikato
Forsyth Barr Stadium
Tomorrow, noon
Otago: Oswaldo Rodriguez, Liam Lockhart, Tristan Prattley (captain), Jude Fitzpatrick, Matt Joy, Morgan Day, Regan Coldicott, Seamus Ryder, Donnie MacGregor, Ant Hancock, James Govan, Sam Mepham, Darren Overton, Harley Rodeka, Matt Brook, Peter Evans, Joel Stevens, Craig Ferguson.

Waikato: Mark Fulcher, Tyler Lissette, Jesse Smith, Mohammed Awad, Mike Kramer, Jason Hicks, Matteo Ballan, Adam Thomas (captain), Josh Greene, Jesse Edge, Ray How, Michael Mayne, Harry Edge, Tyler Boyd, Ryan Thomas, Danyon Drake.