Cancelling of FFA Cup a knock to Colts’ hopes

FFA Cup Round of 32 football team Coomera has been left “gutted” by the decision to cancel the 2020 event – denying it the chance to make another golden run at the national knockout competition.

The Colts made their Round of 32 debut last year with a 2-1 loss to the Magpie Crusaders.

Now denied the chance to defy the odds once more, with interstate travel regulations proving too difficult to overcome, Coomera coach Steve Macdonald has called for Football Queensland to proceed with a state-based knockout competition.

“We’re gutted, to be honest with you, because we were doing fairly well and had a favourable draw against a Sunshine Coast team at home which we would have backed ourselves in to win and I think then make Round 6,” Macdonald said.

“It was going to be very hard for us to replicate what we did last year but we would have loved the chance.

“That (a Queensland-based competition) would be perfect I think because you wouldn’t have to do too much in terms of a draw because it’s already been decided but I’m not going to pretend I know everything that goes on at a board level either and if it’s possible to do something like that.

“We’ve missed so much football as it is this year.”

Since starting training in November last year, Coomera has only played around three competitive games of football. Macdonald said the prospect of playing midweek cup games on top of its Premier League schedule didn’t faze his side.

“The boys would rather play than train,” he said. “We’ve got a very decent squad this year with around 18 players who can play first-grade football so we can rotate if need be.”

Coomera will restart its Premier League season on July 25 against 2019 double winners Burleigh Heads.