Waples puts heat on NQU’s veterans
NORTH Queensland United captain Corey Waples has challenged the team’s experienced players to lift as the team looks to stave off relegation in its first National Premier League season.
Waples described last week’s 6- 0 thrashing at home by Lions FC as “disgusting”, and it does not get much easier when they host another top- four outfit in Moreton Bay tonight.
Second- last on the table with the bottom two relegated, NQU will be without defender Matt Miller, who has succumbed to a hamstring injury.
“The way we’ve played the last couple of weeks isn’t where we want to be,” Waples said.
“We do have some young guys in the squad and it will be a good learning curve for them, but we also have experienced players who I feel in last week’s game should have stepped up a bit more.
“It’s not a scoreline we should concede against any side, no matter how good they are. Some of the goals we conceded were disgusting.
“A couple of mistakes in crucial areas seem to be our problem, and if you make those errors against quality teams they’ll punish you.”
NQU went down 4- 2 to Moreton Bay in round five and Waples hopes their high- flying opponents will head north a little complacent.
“They’re going to come up here really confident against us, but if they’re too confident we might be able to take advantage,” Waples said.
“A couple of our young players may get some more time and they’re going to come out with a lot of energy.
“Hopefully, they come in with a high work rate and push those older fellas to go a bit harder.”
The clash kicks off at 7pm tonight at Brolga Park.