Adelaide United ready for Australia Cup battle with Newcastle

Courier-Mail

7 days ago

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Veteran Dutch gloveman Eloy Room remains on Adelaide United's radar as the Reds seek to bolster their goalkeeping stocks following James Delianov's move to Newcastle.
Free agent Room, 36, was recently linked with a move to Adelaide after spending last season at Belgian top-flight club Cercle Brugge, where his only appearance came in a Belgian Cup clash.
Reds officials have confirmed that Room is one of many options the club is considering to add experience to its goalkeeping ranks.
Following Delianov's departure, 20-year-old Max Vartuli and 22-year-old Ethan Cox are the only two keepers in Adelaide's A-League squad.
New Adelaide coach Airton Andrioli on Tuesday said that the Reds were hoping to strengthen their squad in more than one area.
'We'll definitely be looking in some specific positions that we could reinforce in our playing group,' said Andrioli, who in May was confirmed as the replacement for previous Reds mentor Carl Veart.
Apart from Delianov's recent departure, the club also parted way with key midfielder Zach Clough earlier this month, with the Englishman released from his contract to allow him to join Malaysian club Selangor.
'Football is a short career … and financially it was something that he couldn't say no to,' Andrioli said.
'I didn't want to keep a play here that was thinking 'I could have gone, I should have gone'.
'Zach is gone. That is part of the past now. Maybe one day he'll come back and we'll have a chance to work together, but now we're leaving that behind and just focusing on what's ahead of us.'
That includes Wednesday night's Australia Cup round-of-32 battle against Delianov's Newcastle at Maitland Sports Ground.,
The Reds will be without last season's skipper Ryan Kitto, who has been ruled out after being concussed at training on Monday.
Socceroos winger Craig Goodwin, who recently rejoined Adelaide, also won't play as he continues his recovery from foot surgery.
Andrioli said a decision on who would captain the Reds this season had yet to be made.
'We've got a leadership group that we have established, and we are in the process of finalising that. We're not rushing into any of that,' he said.
In Wednesday night's other Australia Cup round-of-32 games, APIA Leichhardt hosts Melbourne City, Canberra FC takes on Metro Stars, and Brisbane City meets NPL Queensland rivals Olympic FC.
Originally published as Veteran gloveman Eloy Room among many options Adelaide United has in search for a goalkeeper