MELBOURNE Heart is hoping to clinch the signing of experienced Dutch midfielder Marcel Meeuwis in time for the 32-year-old to be part of the squad for Friday night's clash with Newcastle Jets in the Hunter Valley, a game that could determine the finals fate of both clubs.
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Meeuwis has played in the Dutch Eredivisie and the German Bundesliga and comes highly recommended by one of Heart's coaches, Joey Didulica, and its former boss John van 't Schip, who is back in Holland following a brief stay in Mexico with Chivas Guadalajara.
The midfielder, who stands just 1.70 metres, is due to arrive on Tuesday. Heart hopes to have completed the necessary paperwork with the Immigration Department to secure his visa and work status so it can complete the short-term deal.
Meeuwis was in talks before the season started with Central Coast Mariners, where another experienced Dutchman, Patrick Zwaanswijk, is a key player. But the former Roda JC, Feyenoord, Borussia Monchengladbach and Willem II player opted to stay in Holland with VVV Venlo.
He is now a free agent, however, and Didulica suggested he would be an ideal stopgap in the screening midfield position Heart feels it needs to cover.
John Aloisi had hoped to use Socceroo veteran Vince Grella as his deep lying playmaker this campaign, but Grella's long battle with injury meant he could play only 20 minutes in the 1-0 loss to West Sydney Wanderers a fortnight ago before announcing his retirement.
''We are hoping to get everything sorted out so [Meeuwis] can play a role for us in the final weeks of the season as we try to make the finals,'' Heart football operations manager John Didulica, brother of Joey, said on Sunday.
''My brother knew him in Holland and said he had a lot of good attributes - he's technically good, skilful, works very hard and can pass the ball well - and also John van 't Schip watched him for us, too.
''We are looking at a deal until the end of the season. We need someone to play in that position and also add to our depth.
''It was very disappointing Vince Grella wasn't able to play a part for us, but Marcel came on the radar when we were looking at other Dutch-based players as possibilities for next season and he was available at this time,'' Didulica said.
Heart's season got back on track - at least temporarily - with an emphatic 2-0 win over Perth Glory on Saturday night, a match illuminated by Nick Kalmar's terrific free kick and an all-action display by forward David Williams, whose performances this season have begun to show why he was so highly regarded earlier in his career.
The trick for Aloisi and his coaching staff now is to turn the promise of that win into a platform for a consistent tilt at the finals in the last seven rounds of the regular season.
Just about the only consistent thing about Heart's performance this season has been its inconsistency, and Aloisi has been tearing his hair out at his team's inability to put two good performances together.
But with games against Newcastle (away) and Sydney (at AAMI Park) Heart's destiny is very much in its own hands over the next few weeks.
Aloisi's hand will be boosted for the Newcastle game with the imminent return of captain Fred and experienced defender Simon Colosimo, both of whom have been missing through injury. While it is unlikely the duo will be selected in the starting line-up it will at least give the coach some experience on the bench, and he can hardly leave out Kalmar, so often a fringe performer, after his excellent showing on Saturday.
The game holds just as much significance for the Jets, who are battling for a spot at the bottom end of the top six and, following their draw with Sydney a fortnight ago and their loss to Western Sydney Wanderers on Saturday evening, the points from this game are vital.
■Melbourne Victory was uncharacteristically uncompetitive against an Adelaide United side that battered and bullied it in a physical encounter on Friday night and it will be anxious to bounce back against the Wanderers in what will be the A-League's newcomer's first venture to Melbourne next weekend.
Ange Postecoglou and his staff will be sweating on the results of tests on Archie Thompson, who was forced off after barely half an hour at Hindmarsh on Friday night.
Thompson has been the A-League's most consistent scorer in its eight-year history and when he is fit and firing Victory always looks a different team.
Victory will also be without star left back Adama Traore after his dismissal against Adelaide.
■Perth Glory manager Ian Ferguson was left to rue his side's lacklustre performance in the loss to the Heart and, having reached the grand final with this team last year, he is now fighting to keep his job as Glory props up the table in last position.
