Ruben Zadkovich admits the team are not getting too far ahead of themselves despite moving into equal third spot.
Hunter Ports Newcastle Jets captain Ruben Zadkovich admits the team are not getting too far ahead of themselves despite moving into equal third spot on the A-League ladder.
The Jets are looking to record their third straight victory when they host bottom placed Melbourne Heart at Hunter Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
After gritty back-to-back wins over Adelaide and Brisbane, Zadkovich is confident the team can continue their winning form but remained wary of a struggling Heart outfit.
“We-re just trying to stay focused on each game and we know we-ve got another massive game at home this weekend against Melbourne Heart, we know it will be a tough game,” he said.
“We feel we-re good enough to beat them, we feel we-re good enough to beat anyone on any given day it-s just a matter of consistency and we-ll have to be at our best to get the points at home.”
Zadkovich believes the Heart have been unfortunate not to win a match so far this season and knows they will be desperate to kick start their campaign against the Jets this weekend.
“It-s hard to predict how they-re going to play, what they-ve been doing hasn-t been working so they might throw something at us totally different,” he said.
“These can be the games that can be tricky sometimes when you-ve got teams down the bottom they can be unpredictable, it-s a very tight league, anyone can beat anyone.”
After losing to Sydney in the opening round the Jets are undefeated in their past five matches and Zadkovich is adamant the team is reaping the rewards of sheer hard work, especially against the Roar.
“I was very proud of the boys, the effort and the attitude and the way they backed each other, it really was a good win,” he said.
“That was the first time we had come from behind at half time, so records are made to be broken and the history doesn-t really matter it-s all about hard we work this week and how hard we work in this game.
“We know how important this game is this weekend and it gives us a really good chance to cement those good results we-ve had in the previous weeks and really push on.”
Dutch defender Kew Jaliens will miss the clash with the Heart after being sent off on the weekend, but Zadkovich is confident whoever fills the role will do the job for the Jets.
“I-ve got every faith in the players that we-ve got in this squad, someone like to Taylor Regan has proved many a time when he-s called upon he-ll do the job,” the captain said.
“It will probably be a straight swap and we-ve got every confidence in Taylor.”
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