Cougars need to fire

WEBBERS Retravision Cougars may have improved their playing stock from last year but the side still needs to put together a solid 90 minutes of football for coach Brad Smith.

Yesterday the Cougars travelled to the Sunshine Coast, a difficult trip with the team flying on the morning of the game and then playing the match in the early afternoon.

However, Smith was critical of his players as they were not focused on the task of beating one of the best sides in the region.

“We were 4-0 down before we started playing,” an upset Smith stated. “We did not have the desire to win.

Giving a good team a big advantage makes it very difficult to strike back but Smith admits the Cougars did get back into the contest scoring two goals through Justin McMullen and Michael Cay.

It was too little, too late as the damage had been done and the Cougars are now three games into the Hyundai QSL program and with just one point to show for their efforts. The gamble of playing injured defender Dai Thomas was hardly successful as he was replaced on the hour.

That was not the first substitution Smith had been forced to make as, with the game barely 25 minutes old, he took off defender Joe Burke after he had received a booking and the coach fearing it was just a matter of time before the colour of the card changed to red. Smith said Sunshine Coast did not spring any surprises, using Sean Blackman as their target and then getting players up in support.

Four games into the season and next week’s clash with Bundaberg Spirit at Gladstone is a “must win” if the team are to get into contention for the finals.

QSL ROUND FOUR

Sunshine Coast 4 bt Cougars 2

Brisbane Strikers 2 bt Whitsunday Miners 0

FNQ Bulls 3 bt NQ Razorbacks 1

QAS 1 bt Bundaberg Spirit 0

http://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/story/2010/04/12/cougars-need-to-fire/