Craig Goodwin says the Jets are expecting Western Sydney Wanderers to provide them with a stern test on Saturday.
Hunter Ports Newcastle Jets player Craig Goodwin says the Jets are expecting Western Sydney Wanderers to provide them with a stern test when the two sides meet at Parramatta Stadium on Saturday night.
After a slow start to the season, the Wanderers have picked up two wins from their last two matches and will go into this weekend-s clash with the Jets full of confidence.
“They-re looking to be a well-structured side and have picked up two good results from their last two games,” Goodwin said.
“It-s definitely going to be a tough game and hopefully we can be at the top of our game and pick up the three points.”
While many people wrote off the A-League-s newest Club before the start of the season, Goodwin said he had not been surprised by their recent success.
“It-s a very even competition and I think that any team on any given day has a chance of beating everyone,” he said.
“Western Sydney were always going to be a decent side, especially with Shinji Ono coming in. He-s going to be a key player for them, but hopefully we can shut him down.”
Goodwin was this week announced as the first nominee for the 2012/13 NAB Young Footballer of the Year Award.
The 20-year-old said he-d been pleased with his efforts so far this season.
“My first couple of games have been better than the last couple of games I-ve played,” he said.
“I-ve just got to keep working hard because I guess as you get noticed more players are going to know what you-re about and sort of know the way you play.
“I-ve got to adapt to that as well and hopefully I can pick up my performances again in the coming weeks and get the results.”
With Dominik Ritter out with a quadriceps injury against Perth, Goodwin filled in at the left-fullback position.
While Goodwin admitted to being more comfortable further up the park, he said he is happy to play wherever he can best help the team.
“I-m happy anywhere in the side as long as I-m getting a game. I-m much more comfortable going forward, so really wherever Gary wants to play me, I-ll play.”
After featuring for Melbourne Heart primarily as a youth team player last season, Goodwin said he feels he is adapting well to playing at A-League level week-in, week-out.
“It-s what I always wanted to be playing professional football consistently and I-ve got that now,” he said.
“With the amount of travel you do in the A-League that-s always something that puts pressure on all the teams.
“I-m still learning to recover on that side of things and if you-ve got an injury sometimes it can be a bit more difficult, but it-s not too hard and I think I can manage it quite well.”
