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Queensland warned to curb raw aggression [Mon Sep 5th, 2005]
Queensland Roar midfielder Matt McKay has warned his A-League teammates to curb their aggression or risk being sidelined for crucial games later in the season.
McKay said Queensland was treading a fine line with officials after referee Ben Williams dished out eight yellow cards during the Roar's scoreless draw with Adelaide United on Friday night.
McKay, Karl Dodd, Alex Brosque and Tom Willis were all issued with warnings by Williams during the fiery encounter.
It was Dodd's second yellow card of the season after he picked up an earlier warning in the Roar's season-opening win over New Zealand. Players receive an automatic one-game suspension after four yellow cards in the A-League before starting over with a clean slate.
"It's later in the season when suspensions are going to hurt a lot but I think we've had four in both of the first two games," McKay said. "So it's going to be a problem if it keeps going that way but I don't think we picked up too many in the pre-season so I think we'll be alright."
McKay said the Roar would have to improve on their performances from the opening two rounds, despite the club sitting in equal first on the competition table.
Queensland, Sydney FC, Central Coast and Adelaide are all on four points with the Roar and United yet to concede a goal.
McKay said the road trip to Perth would be Queensland's hardest of the year due to the distance and time involved with travelling and the parochialism of the home fans.
"I think it will be. It's quite an intimidating stadium so if they can get it packed out, which I hope they do for the spectacle of the game, then it will be a tough trip," he said.
Queensland's pre-match preparations for the clash against the Glory hit a major stumble today with confirmation that midfielder Tae-Yong Shin would return to Korea for treatment on his injured ankle.
Shin, the two-time Korean league's Most Valuable Player, injured his ankle during training last week.
The 34-year-old will travel to Korea later in the week to seek out the opinion of the surgeon that operated on the ankle prior to the 1998 World Cup.
Queensland coach Miron Bleiberg said he expected Shin to rejoin the squad on October 1.
"We will listen to what his doctor has to say and take it from there,"
Bleiberg said.
"He will be away for a few weeks but there is no point having a player with us who cannot perform to his best ability. We need to get this injury resolved for the benefit of the team and for the benefit of Tae-Yong himself."
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