Adelaide Coach Stands Firm Amid Ongoing Speculation: ‘I’ve Been Unambiguous with the Club’

Carl Veart once again addressed his future with Adelaide United, affirming that as the head coach, the Isuzu UTE A-League club will persist in investing in their youth “pathway” during his tenure.

A week of speculation has surrounded Veart and his position at Coopers Stadium, following a report from Network 10 suggesting that Adelaide may be “considering” a coaching change at the season’s end.

Having been in charge since 2020, Veart spoke on the matter prior to the game and reiterated his stance after Saturday’s intense 3-2 defeat against rivals Sydney FC, which saw the struggling Reds fall out of the top six.

With no wins in seven matches and facing a three-game losing streak, Adelaide now sits seventh in the standings, trailing sixth-placed Sydney on goal difference after 22 matches.

When asked whether qualifying for the Finals Series was necessary for him to retain his position, Veart replied: “I’m not sure about that.”

“I’ve been open with the club regarding what I aspire to achieve as a coach. I will continually advocate for that pathway for our young players.”

“Indeed, I could have pushed a bit harder for the club to allocate more resources to bring in additional players. However, I’d prefer to offer opportunities to younger players rather than sign someone who won’t contribute to our success.”

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In his pre-match press conference, Veart mentioned that he had no “KPIs” during his time as the head coach of Adelaide.

When further questioned about these comments after the Reds bowed out to the Sky Blues in stoppage time, and whether he had directives from the club regarding player sales or achieving silverware, Veart stated: “I always aim to win. That’s no secret.”

“It’s common knowledge that since my arrival, we have implemented significant changes to ensure we provide a pathway for not just young South Australian players, but talented young players overall. We’ve committed to this principle, and will continue to do so while I’m here.”

“It’s crucial for us as a club to strongly endorse this approach. We have enjoyed considerable success in recent years by developing young players and giving them opportunities to move on to prominent clubs abroad. The club has also benefited financially from these transitions.”

“Ultimately, we aim to achieve both – nurturing talent and achieving success in the A-League requires assembling a formidable squad. Relying solely on our young players is not a sustainable strategy.”

When asked if he felt he had the necessary resources within his squad for the 2024-25 season, Veart remarked: “Building a squad is always a challenge, particularly for smaller clubs. We need to part with certain players in order to acquire new talent, which complicates matters.”

“Our recruitment often differs from that of larger clubs. The quality at Sydney FC, for instance, is exceptionally high.”

“We maximise our resources as best we can. That has always been our focus as a club, and it’s vital that we continue to strive and work hard. We still believe we are capable of winning something this season.”