Auckland City coach Allan Jones says his already jaded side will be tested physically like never before when they face Asian champions Jeonbuk FC in Friday night’s FIFA Club World Cup wooden spoon playoff.
Jones admits it will take a “mammoth” effort to win the playoff for fifth at Japan’s National Stadium where the winner will scoop an additional $US500,000 (NZ$720,000) on top of the US$1 million they have already banked by qualifying for FIFA’s season-ending showpiece.
“This game will put terrific physical demands on our players, in particular in one on one situations all over the field,” Jones said on the eve of the match in Tokyo’s Olympic Stadium where Peter Snell produced his famous 1500m and 800m Games double in 1964.