Adelaide players urged to accept venue call

Miffed Adelaide United players have been ordered to get over their anger at being denied an A-League final on their home ground.

Craig Goodwin protests a decision during his side's clash with Melbourne City. (Getty) Source: Getty Images Asia Pacific

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Reds chief executive Michael Petrillo told players not to waste energy over playing Friday night's elimination match against Brisbane Roar at Adelaide Oval, rather than their Coopers Stadium base at Hindmarsh.

"Coopers Stadium is our home ground and we would have preferred for it to be played there," Petrillo said.

"But the FFA has made that decision and now just need to get on with it.

United coach Josep Gombau and players have voiced discontent but Petrillo said their focus must now switch.

"Once they get over the disappointment of not playing at Coopers, they're professional enough to get on with it," he said.

"There is no point worrying about it ... once they turn up to training they will be focused on playing at Adelaide Oval and that will be it."

Adelaide's last match at the oval attracted the city's largest ever football crowd: 33,126 spectators in October last year against Melbourne Victory.

The marble-fast surface in that fixture was tuned for concerts and cricket, not football.

"They had a Rolling Stones concert to prepare for the next day and the amount of watering wasn't as it would have been," Petrillo said.

"But for this game here, it's a different time of year, you will see a lot softer surface and a lot more ball-friendly surface than what it was."

Petrillo hoped the venue would hold appeal to a broader audience, a paramount factor in FFA's decision, chief executive officer David Gallop said.

"The sudden death finals series events are the showpiece matches of the season, these big occasions deserve big crowds," Gallop said.

"Adelaide Oval on a Friday night presents the people of Adelaide with a wonderful opportunity."