Adelaide United’s decision to part ways with its longest-serving manager Carl Veart at the end of the season has drawn mixed reviews and although finals remain on the agenda, looks to have had a deflating effect on the playing group.
As they look to edge Sydney FC for the final spot in the top six with just a handful of games remaining, Tuesday’s draw with strugglers Brisbane stands as a big opportunity missed. That their previous match against Wellington was a first win in eight tells a story of a promising season that has derailed, and will not befit the body of work Veart has contributed over his five seasons.
‘I find it unfortunate that he’s had to go in these circumstances, calling it [publicly] before the season’s done. Carl didn’t want it to be made public, and probably rightly so’, veteran South Australian football journo Val Migliaccio told Box2Box.
‘Carl had no KPI’s as a coach [this season] other than to produce youngsters, make sure most of them were from South Australia, which he’s done. He’s earned them, since he’s been in the gig since July 2020, reasonable revenue of $8.3million in sales (Transfermarkt.com).
‘There are a lot of fans upset not just at the decision, but the way in which it’s been handled. Adelaide have a history of not handling exits well – there was a faceoff between Marco Kurz and former president Piet Van der pol, no longer at the club – you could go through a whole lot of coaches where it ended up really poorly, as well.’
Veart took over the top job in the depths of Covid-19, with predecessor Gertjan Verbeek opting not to return to his post amid the disruption. As the scorer of the Reds’ (and the A-League’s) first goal and a proud South Australian it seemed a sound fit, and so it proved.
In his first three completed seasons he led the side to the semi-finals each time, leaning on homegrown stars Nestory Irankunda, Joe Gauci and Kusini Yengi as they built towards moves abroad. Craig Goodwin elevated himself to Reds legend status, and a seat at the renovated Hindmarsh again became one of the hottest in the country.
But a crowning trophy never came, those superstar talents were never replaced once sold- which many would argue is a failing of the club, not Veart – and the side are now on the brink of missing the finals for a second-straight season.
‘I think it’s a poor decision by Adelaide but nonetheless, the owners can do whatever they like. He’s brought the club back to its roots when it started in 2003/04, to provide a good honest pathway for locals, and I think he’s done a good job.
‘Carl’s assistant Airton Andrioli, who played for West Adelaide back in the NSL, has been around football SA developing youngsters, he’s one of the names that’s been brought up as a replacement. There’s also the whisper of John van’t Schipt, who was in Adelaide meeting (Technical Director) Ernest Faber in January. He’s got a national team job in Europe at the moment that ends in June.
‘Veart’s good enough to go anywhere, really, if a club backs him. He’s very good with talent, a good man manager, and if a club takes him on they’ll get a loyal, hardworking coach. He’s tough in his own way, has played in England so I don’t think he’ll mind travelling, but I do hope he stays in the A-League because I do think he’s got a lot to offer.’