John Kosmina issues instructions to Osama Malik and Nigel Boogaard. Picture: Sarah Reed Source: The Advertiser
HE has Adelaide United playing some of the best football in the A-League and has them just one point behind competition leaders Central Coast Mariners, but John Kosmina's future as coach still remains in doubt.
The Australian has learned Kosmina is none the wiser about where he stands with the club after meeting the United board this week, when the subject of his contract was raised.
The former Socceroo captain and the third-most experienced coach in the history of the domestic game, who will be in charge of game number 365 tonight against Western Sydney Wanderers at Parramatta Stadium, isn't sure if he's still wanted at Hindmarsh Stadium beyond this season.
Only Zoran Matich and Frank Arok in the former NSL coached more games than Kosmina, who replaced the sacked Rini Coolen midway through last season and was handed a one-year extension in March only after the Reds' extended run in the Asian Champions League.
Since then he has taken United to the quarter-finals of the ACL and guided the club to a clear second on the table.
"I'm none the wiser. I'm told they want to talk to me again in January - beyond that I haven't a clue," Kosmina said yesterday.
"I may have to consult my astrologist and see what's out there in the universe. My only concern for now is West Sydney, who are playing a lot better since we met in a 1-0 win back in round two.
"West Sydney has evolved into a physically resilient side as they showed in the win over Sydney last weekend."
While Adelaide dithers on Kosmina's future, the club has re-signed classy imports Jeronimo Neumann (Argentina), Cassio (Brazil) and midfielder Fabio Ferreira (Portugal) as well as locals Bruce Djite and Cameron Watson to long-term deals as the side chases Graham Arnold's Central Coast Mariners for top spot.
Adelaide chief executive Glenn Elliott said Kosmina's contract remained "on the agenda".
"We continue to review and plan for football success. No doubt John's situation will come up in due course," Elliott said yesterday.
Reds chairman Greg Griffin described Kosmina's deal with the club as, "a rolling agreement and that's what was decided at the beginning of the year and we will look at it at the end of the year.
"We are very happy with John Kosmina, and he is happy with us.
"He is very relaxed about the structure of the deal we currently have in place. He is doing a good job and has rebuilt the team spirit and commitment, which was so sadly lacking (in the early part of last season)."
Meanwhile the Wellington Phoenix has lost striker Paul Ifill for at least a month after the Barbados international underwent surgery to his right ankle yesterday.
"Ifill has been troubled by the injury all season and it was felt in his best interest, and ours, to have him back to his best for the rest of the season," Wellington coach Ricki Herbert said.
The loss of Ifill, who remains the subject of an alleged racial slur investigation following an incident at Hindmarsh Stadium last week, sees coach Herbert leaning towards giving exciting 17-year-old Tyler Boyd his first run-on start against the Mariners at home tomorrow night.
Boyd and midfielder Louis Fenton are the first two products of the Phoenix Academy to be promoted to the senior squad.
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