Tuggeranong United coach Steve Forshaw admits he does not know what to expect from Canberra FC following the decision to axe Ray Junna.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Former Socceroo Andy Bernal will take over the reins from Junna on an interim basis, starting with Saturday's Canberra National Premier League match with Tuggeranong United at Kambah.
United can move into the top four with a victory against Canberra FC, but Forshaw knows his side cannot afford to take the reigning league champions lightly.
"I expect them to be a formidable opponent, I don't expect them to lose too much, but it depends on how the players react to the decision to sack Ray Junna,'' Forshaw said.
"It could work in our favour or it could spur them on to even greater efforts, and that would make it extremely difficult.
"We're pretty confident that we're playing well enough to get something out of the game, but they're one of the better teams in the competition.''
Junna was cut by the Canberra FC board after the club's 3-2 loss to the Cooma Tigers last Sunday.
It was Canberra FC's third defeat from 10 games in the league this season and leaves it six points behind competition leaders Belconnen United.
"There are very few clubs in Australia under those circumstances that would remove the coach. The season's not over and they're in with a chance of winning something,'' Forshaw said.
"But they run their club in a particular way and they're entitled to do so, they have made the decision they have and they are big enough and strong enough to live with the consequences of that.
"You'd be disappointed under the circumstances if you were sacked like that.''
Forshaw said his players were well aware they had to focus on the NPL campaign and could not look too far ahead to their FFA Cup round-of-32 match with South Hobart on August 5.
Tuggeranong United will regain centre forward Zach Munster, who has been sidelined with a broken foot.
The match will be Tuggeranong United's annual memorial for former player Adam Fry, with the team to wear purple socks and money raised to be donated towards Epilepsy Australia ACT.
Meanwhile, the Capital Football Senior NTC team will face the Western Sydney Wanderers' National Youth League team in a friendly match at the Wanderers' training ground on Monday at 2.30pm.
The fixture is the first of a number of planned matches for the Senior NTC and Youth United representative programs over the next few months, with a trip to play Sydney FC scheduled for August.
CANBERRA NATIONAL PREMIER LEAGUE
Saturday: Tuggeranong United v Canberra FC at Kambah, 3.10pm.
