Del Piero decides Sydney A-League derby
By AAP, 21 Oct 2012
Italy's Alessandro Del Piero from Sydney FC. AFP PHOTO / Greg WOOD
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Sydney coach Ian Crook was a relieved man after the win, admitting he even started to doubt his coaching approach after his side’s opening two losses.
After looking disjointed in their opening games, the Sky Blues were much more cohesive and Crook said things were starting to click.
“Certainly for me I felt some relief,” Crook said.
“You start to question yourself a little bit but for me it was all about the players tonight, they were brilliant.”
Crook said Del Piero was also fitting in better with every match.
“It’s getting to know people and playing with them and knowing what they need, where they’re going to be,” he said.
“We haven’t had a lot of time as a team to do that. But it’s gradually picked up.”
Wanderers coach Tony Popovic had no complaints about the penalty, and was confident his side was on the right track despite a second successive loss.
“I think performance-wise it was good,” Popovic said.
“… I can’t say anything bad about the players’ effort, work rate, commitment. We just need that something to happen for us in that final third.
“We’ll keep improving and we’ll get better.”
© AAP 2013
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October 22nd 2012 @ 8:54am
Professor Rosseforp said | October 22nd 2012 @ 8:54am | Report comment
Del Piero has been playing well and will surely help the team to improve its self-belief, and hopefully learn a few technical skills. He will increase the game’s profile and looks like a great chocie as an ambassador.
How sad then, to see the milking of a penalty like this one.
October 22nd 2012 @ 3:47pm
Brick Tamlin of the Pants Party said | October 22nd 2012 @ 3:47pm | Report comment
Clear cut penalty.
October 25th 2012 @ 10:24pm
Professor Rosseforp said | October 25th 2012 @ 10:24pm | Report comment
Brick, agreed that the referee could justify this penalty.
Yet every corner kick I have seen for decades could involve a foul, therefore a penalty — for shirt-tugging, touching opponents, climbing on opponents, as well as hacking and tripping — yet I can’t recall an example of a penalty given.
Had Del Piero continued his run, which he could have, rather than falling, would the ref have awarded a penalty? Unlikely, but why not?