The Roar's A-League Men tips and predictions: Round 26 - the jostle for finals positions is on in earnest
Here is the way the Roar expert panel sees all the action unfolding across the final weekend of play prior to the semi-finals.
Sydney FC coach Graham Arnold says removing self-doubt from his players is a key to his A-League club’s stunning success.
The Sky Blues created a five-point buffer at the top of the table with a 1-0 away win against Adelaide United on Friday night.
Arnold says strength of mind, as well as recruiting proven winners, is behind Sydney recent dominance of the domestic landscape.
“Everyone has doubts in life,” Arnold said.
“And it’s about reassuring and removing those.
“When those players go on the field to play, they have one thing on their mind and one thing in their brain – and that is to win.
“And that is how they do it.”
Arnold said he spent much time on working with his players’ “subconscious mind”.
“To make sure that their brains are clear and to make sure that they’re fresh and ready,” he said.
“And we make sure that we get the key messages through to them.
“In recruitment, we recruit winners. We recruit good people and players that want to play for the team not for themselves.”
Adelaide coach Marco Kurz noted Sydney’s abundant confidence levels in his club’s FFA Cup final loss to the Sky Blues and again on Friday night.
But Arnold said his outfit don’t sense the aura they carry.
“We don’t feel that,” he said.
“Every day, every game, to me it’s about being greater than what we were last week.
“And also I do truly believe we’re not even functioning at half. Of what I see at training compared to games, I don’t even think we’re halfway there.
“So my job is to try and get that out of them and we will get that out of them as time goes on.”
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Here is the way the Roar expert panel sees all the action unfolding across the final weekend of play prior to the semi-finals.
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