World Cup party's over for Phoenix

HIGHS AND LOWS: Six Phoenix players - and their coach Ricki Herbert - will back up just a week after playing their part in New Zealand's historic win against Bahrain.

Related Links

Lochhead keen to keep Phoenix flying Everything positive at Phoenix HQ Herbert sure of no hangover for Phoenix Herbert accepts Phoenix wishes, will stay home

Relevant offers

Football

Wolves sack Mick McCarthy after heavy loss Daniel to wave goodbye to Wellington Phoenix? Steven Old finds home at Basingstoke Town Scottish champs on verge of administration Air crash the 'silent force' in Zambia's triumph Liverpool sponsor angered by Suarez actions Man City reclaim lead with tense win over Villa Luis Suarez apologises for no Evra handshake Zambia hold nerve to win African Nations Cup Herbert baffled as yellow cards fly for Phoenix

Newcastle coach Branko Culina is hoping to face a Wellington side on a World Cup comedown in Sunday's A-League clash at EnergyAustralia Stadium.

Six Phoenix players - and their coach Ricki Herbert - will back up just a week after playing their part in New Zealand's historic win against Bahrain that ensured qualification for next year's World Cup.

Culina admits the Phoenix's international contingent would have been on cloud nine after booking a World Cup berth but expects the party to be well and truly over come Sunday afternoon.

"It's a danger game for them because after every low there's a high and after every high there's a low," Culina said.

"They're certainly on a high, but will they come into this game still feeling on a high or really are they a little bit on a low and we can take full advantage?

"That's the key, how will they come back after half of their team have taken part in the game against Bahrain and they were on a huge high, not only for Saturday but also a few days after that."

Culina said his biggest focus was getting the ninth-placed Jets playing to their potential, believing the Phoenix were not a better side than his.

"It's really up to us," Culina said.

"They're not a better team than us, if you're talking about a team that was truly better than us, you would be worried about what they would do but I'm more worried about we do."

The Jets are looking for back-to-back wins for the first time this season following their 2-0 win over North Queensland at home two weeks ago.

Culina said they had to find their consistency to be considered serious finals contenders.

The Jets will be without English striker Michael Bridges (hamstring), while Sasho Petrovski's chances of a recall in his place have been dashed by an ankle problem.

The Phoenix will have Tim Brown, Mark Paston, Leo Bertos, Tony Lochhead, David Mulligan and Ben Sigmund backing up from the playoff against Bahrain.

Brown said the players were working hard to ensure there was no World Cup hangover against the Jets.

"We've obviously achieved something special as New Zealand internationals but that doesn't make us all of a sudden better players, or players that don't have to `show up' to play another game this weekend," Brown said.

- AAP