ADELAIDE United coach Rini Coolen has scoffed at suggestions the Reds are poorly match conditioned.

After signing players with blue-ribbon reputations in the off-season, the disorganised Reds were battered in the first half by a rampant Glory at nib Stadium on Sunday. Coolen made the right tactical moves during the break but after a period of dominance some players ran out of legs 20 minutes from time.

Perth's Billy Mehmet scored the winner in the 77th minute when covering Reds could no longer raise a gallop.

The scoreline flattered Adelaide but the heroics of keeper Eugene Galekovic late in the clash, when Glory was aiming for the jugular, saved a potential hiding in Perth.

"I don't see any problem with fitness," Coolen said.

"Of course there are a few players who had problems before like (skipper) Jon McKain after a few injuries but he was fit enough and Milan Susak who needs game fitness and Bruce (Djite) came back from injury.

"The only way to get that game fitness is to play games and we're looking for that high level fitness that we'll get after a couple of rounds."

While the Dutchman believes his Reds would gain rhythm and conditioning in the heat of battle, Coolen said that he had spotted players going down with cramp in all the other four A-League matches on the weekend.

Coolen has put the muscle fatigue down to a lack of games against quality opposition because of the Football Federation Australia allowing A-League clubs just three pre season games against A-League opposition.

Coolen was adamant fitness wasn't an issue after he was forced to ditch plans of having a pre-season abroad. The project was scuttled because of cost.

"Normally for preparation in the pre-season you need maybe six games like that (against A-League clubs) and maybe a game against teams a level above us," he said.

Coolen was now looking forward, revealing Daniel Mullen should overcome a hamstring strain he picked up in Perth. Socceroo Dario Vidosic was up for selection against Melbourne Victory at Hindmarsh on Friday after missing the Glory clash because of illness.

And while Coolen has just two sessions to prepare his squad against the old foe, the Dutchman said the Reds should revisit the travel schedule to Perth after arriving in the city less than 24 hours before kick-off.

"What we could have done was travel a day earlier but that's not possible and it might be very expensive," he said. "But Perth away is difficult maybe because of the (2.5 hour) time difference ... but I don't want to use that as an excuse."