The Phoenix assistant coach Chris Greenacre says he's not surprised that the Sydney boss Graham Arnold told a couple of his players to get yellow cards last weekend, so they would serve bans before the A-League play-offs.
The two players followed Arnold's instructions and therefore won't play against the Phoenix in Wellington on Saturday night.
Sydney FC head coach Graham Arnold. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Australian football bosses are understood to be disappointed with Arnold's action and while it has been banned in Europe, it doesn't break Australian rules.
The Wellington side must beat top of the table Sydney FC to keep alive their slim play-off hopes.
Greenacre says the practice of picking up a card to ensure a player knows when he'll be suspended isn't a knew one.
"The people in charge will see fit what needs to happen."
Greenacre says that sort of things has been going on for years.
"We've all been in this game a long time and back when I started playing it was ussually around christmas time guys would pick up bookings just to get christmas at home, so it's not something new to me."
"They're without two of their most consistent players in Josh Brillante and Brandon O'Neill, so that's good for us."
