Melbourne City captain Scott Jamieson hopes the club will be able to fly in-and-out of Sydney rather than relocating into a hub to complete the season.
City has three games remaining this season but could be set to play at least two of those at New South Wales venues, in addition to its finals series.
A-League boss Greg O’Rourke announced on Tuesday Melbourne will not host any A-League matches after July 20, with four Melbourne-based August games now tentatively scheduled in NSW.
Unlike other sides who will play up to six games to finish the season, City only has three games remaining with 11-day breaks in-between before beginning its finals campaign.
”A lot of people are shouting to the rooftops to send Victorian teams to Sydney and fair enough but we have 11 days in between games,” Jamieson said.
”I’d be totally for it and understanding to be thrown into the hub if our games were similar to the others. We tried to help the league by uprooting when everything was unstable and playing Newcastle and Central Coast in Sydney.
”These things are out of FFA control but hopefully common sense prevails here and if the government allows we’d get the opportunity to fly in-and-out of Sydney. Putting us in a hub with 11 days in between games is a bit extreme, it would be a bit of a cost to the FFA but we could charter in and out and be able to prepare.”
Jamieson is one of three City players who have spent the last two nights in a hotel – having to move from their homes located in hot-spot areas – but says the pandemic has not wavered the players’ determination to successfully finish the season.
”I’ve had to move along with two other players and our fitness coach. It all happened pretty fast,” Jamieson said.
”It’s a bit difficult for me and my partner because she’s eight months pregnant and we’ve got a lot of things ready for the baby.
‘”The talk we’ve got in our dressing rooms is everyone wants to play. We’ll decide on how we approach things when we get more information but there’s been no talk of anyone pulling out.”
City is currently on track to record its highest ever finish to a regular season and potentially qualify for its maiden Asian Champions League.
Despite the interruption to this season, Jamieson rejects the idea of this year’s prize being awarded with an asterisk.
”The title means the same as any other season,” he said.
”I’m not a Liverpool fan but if you ask them whether it means the same to them I think the answer lies in the amount of fans who turned up at Anfield. There’s no asterisk in regards to how we see this season.”
Melbourne City will resume its A-League campaign against Western United on July 20.
