It is hard to escape the impression East Coast Bays coach Willy Gerdsen is trying to claim underdog status for Saturday's Chatham Cup final.
Despite fielding a former All White (Jeff Campbell), a former Kingz player and Manchester United triallist (Leigh Kenyon) and one of the best defenders in the New Zealand Football Championship (George Suri), the Aucklanders are wary of the threat posed by Dunedin Technical.
"It's the first time we are in the final. We're not like Dunedin, who are experienced and have played a couple of finals," Gerdsen told the Otago Daily Times yesterday.
Gerdsen then changed tack when asked outright if he felt East Coast Bays could be considered the underdog.
"It's a final, it's 50-50. It's a one-off game and it's a big occasion for both teams. It's like Manchester United against Chelsea in the last Champions League final. It's really a 50-50 call."
Gerdsen said the North Shore-based club was staying low-key this week and trying to prepare for the final as if it was just another game.
He has two major injury concerns: midfielder Jason McKeown has an ankle problem, and defender Ryan Zoghby has a bad back.
Both will continue to be assessed by the club doctor over the next two days.
Gerdsen said he had scrounged as much information on Dunedin Technical as he could get.
"We've picked up that they're a strong side and they score plenty of goals. They seem a bit older and more experienced than our team."
Star man for East Coast Bays is Campbell (29), the attacking midfielder or forward who has 13 caps and has scored five goals for the All Whites.
Kenyon is a much-travelled midfielder who represented New Zealand at under-20 and under-23 level, while Solomon Islander Suri is a commanding presence at the back, who plays for Auckland City in the summer.
East Coast Bays also has the stability of Jacob Spoonley, a former Otago Youth guest player, in goal, and the powerful Phil Edginton in defence.
In reaching the final, East Coast Bays scored 27 goals in just six games.
