Experience counts, Henrique says
FOOTBALL: Brisbane veteran Henrique says the experience in John Aloisi’s team could work to the Roar’s advantage come Friday’s knockout final with Melbourne City at AAMI Park.
Aloisi has been criticised this season for stacking his squad with players over 30, including the Brazilian-born striker.
Henrique, who played in three A-League grand final wins during his first spell with the club and was re-signed by the Roar in February for the remainder of this campaign, said finals football was mentally tough and experienced players could deal with the tension better.
“This time of year is the most important and we (Brisbane Roar) have been there (finals) for eight seasons in a row,” said the 33-year-old, who became an Australian citizen in 2015.
“We know what we have to do and we are going to go hard.
“We know that we have to win every game from now on in and we will be giving 100 per cent to achieve that.”
The Roar players had given themselves a chance of making the top six following a 3-2 win over Perth.
They still needed some help from Adelaide United, whose 3-2 success over Western Sydney Wanderers on Sunday meant that Brisbane secured the last finals spot.
Henrique paid tribute to Adelaide and said it was now time for the Brisbane players to do their bit and deliver another A-League title.
“We are pretty happy to have accomplished this mission (of reaching the finals),” he said.
“To reach finals for us is a big compliment but now we start again. Now we just have to accomplish another mission.”