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Roar mindful of FFA Cup complacency

18th August, 2014
3

Reigning A-League champions Brisbane Roar say complacency will not be an issue when they meet Perth’s Stirling Lions in the FFA Cup on Tuesday evening.

The round of 32 fixture will be the Roar’s first competitive outing since claiming the A-League crown in May with a memorable extra-time victory over Western Sydney Wanderers.

“Our success was last year, and we have quickly forgotten about that,” said Roar captain Matt Smith.

“If we dwell on the past then we are not looking to the future.

“We want to win (in Perth), there is no doubt about that, and we are taking our strongest squad for that purpose.

“Our training program caters for the FFA Cup. We have never been a club that uses that (fitness) for potential performances.”

Stirling have endured a mixed season and sit in sixth in the local competition, but Smith says the Roar are mindful of a potential banana skin after the Wanderer’s shock loss against Adelaide City last week.

“We have seen over the past few weeks, there have been some big upsets, and we are very conscious of that,” Smith said.

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“(The FFA Cup) is a great concept, one that we are very excited to be playing in, and I’m sure there will be a fairytale along the way.”

Meanwhile, it will be a case of back to the future as third-tier Hakoah Sydney City – a club which boasts lineage back to the great national league club of previous decades – host Queensland competition pace-setters Palm Beach Sharks.

Hakoah won the last Australia Cup held in 1968, and they were the most successful National Soccer League club during the 1970s and 80s under the direction of current Football Federation Australia chairman Frank Lowy.

Despite their humble current status, the Hakoah side boast several name players and have lost just once in the league this season.

Former Sheffield Wednesday and Adelaide United striker Lloyd Owusu leads the forward line, with the side coached by one-time Socceroo Mark Robertson, whose father Alex won several NSL crowns for the club during the 1980s.

Also in the Hakoah squad is former Scottish Premier League player Neil Jablonski and Nathan Kosmina, son of Socceroo and Sydney City great John.

The round of 32 will be completed on Wednesday when two-time NSL champions South Coast Wolves – previously Wollongong Wolves – host Central Coast Mariners, and Melbourne Victory travel to Perth to face Bayswater City.

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