Young guns have Cassio steaming

Adelaide United star Cassio at training. Picture: James Elsby Source: AdelaideNow

Cassio was furious over some of his young teammates' unwillingness to put it all on the line, knowing a poor week on the training track could spell finals disaster.

The Brazilian said he was so agitated he had to leave the group before training was over for a cold shower to avoid a potential flashpoint with his teammates.

"I couldn't talk to any of my teammates," Cassio said.

"I know it's not the right thing to do, but sometimes someone has to do something because we have only five days until one of the biggest games.

"Many of the boys took training too easy and I had to leave  ... I was really pissed off with their attitude at training."

But his heated exit didn't have the attached stigma of Paul Reid's controversial self-imposed exile last week before he returned to the Reds camp.

"We trained like schoolboys," Cassio said. "I wished all the young boys at the club had Mathew Leckie's spirit.

"He wants to win the ball all the time and I really appreciate what this guy does for the team - we need more Leckies.

"I don't want to lose even to my son when we play in the backyard.

"I want to win everything and ... my teammates, showed me it doesn't matter if you win or lose. Of course it matters, losing  ... it's not normal for me."

Adelaide United faces Gold Coast in the second elimination final at Hindmarsh on Sunday.

At yesterday's training session, Cassio seemed to take offence when he challenged fringe striker Francesco Monterosso.

Adelaide was almost at the end of its second training session of the week at Hindmarsh when Cassio snapped.

"It wasn't personal, it was the way they train - I can't accept things like that," Cassio said. "I want to push my teammates.

"I wanted to do something different by showing them at least one player wants to do it - win. It was nothing against him (Monterosso)."

Cassio ran to the dressing room while his Reds team-mates were warming down before coach Rini Coolen intercepted him in the changeroom's hallway. They exchanged calm words after Cassio's ice-cold shower.

"Rini told me to keep cool but he also told me he understands," he said. "I told him: `I feel so fired up' and he told me to calm down and `see you tomorrow' ."

Cassio headed towards the car park and drove away before declaring some of his teammates needed a rocket but will return to the camp today armed with a winning attitude. "I don't need to apologise to them," he said. "They know how I feel.

"There's nothing wrong with it; I did it because this is my life, my work, winning is all that counts.

"I don't want to give anything out for free, even at training."