Sydney FC fans celebrate a goal. AAP Image/Paul Miller
A long-time TRBA reader, Adam, touched base to tell me his self-imposed Kosmina boycott is over and that he’s looking forward to getting out to a few Sydney games to see what they can do under Lavicka.
A Slovak friend who makes my coffee most mornings is keeping a very close eye on compatriot Karol Kisel. And, being a part time student still feeling his way around the traps, keeps prodding for any opportunity to take him to a couple of FC games.
A Czech mate, who made the news by paying a decent dollar to attend Sydney FC’s first ever training session, saw much of the first season under Littbarski, went ducking for cover when Butcher arrived, popped up from a brief flirtation with Juninho and Culina, only to disappear back under the cover when Kosmina arrived.
He says he’ll be out there supporting Lavicka and his team with the hope that the Cove will soon be bopping to the beat of the famous Czech chant, “Hop, Hop, Hop.”
A colleague, football obsessed, but more enamored with the European game, is suddenly interested in chatting about the detail that goes into Sydney attracting a “no-name” European manager from a nation familiar with the finer technical aspects of the game.
Something we haven’t seen in these parts since the NSL days.
It’s a move more common in other parts of the world, where ability is judged not by how big the name is, but by how much education the person might bring.
All little signs that there is a bit of life back in a Sydney football scene that was often caught sucking in the deep breaths last season.
But the noise remains muted, and rightly so.
Too many false dawns have taught the Sydney fans, and the club it seems, a thing or two about being too loud.
“We remain humble,” said Lavicka when I caught up with him after Tuesday’s night’s 1-0 win against NSW Premier League table topper, Sydney United.
It was FC’s seventh pre-season game, seventh win and seventh clean sheet.
Seventh heaven? Not for this guy, it seems.
The job of re-building the confidence of the Sydney football market has only just started, and will take much hard work from all involved.
But the new Czech manager, despite his broken English, and the need, at times, to have football manager Dave Mason act as a bit of language go-between, appears to have the wherewithal to down-play the pre-season to date.
While the wins have been against moderate opposition in NSW State League clubs Macarthur, Sutherland, Northern Tigers, Leichhardt Tigers, Bankstown, Penrith and Sydney United, any time you string seven straight can’t be underestimated.
Winning is a habit, as they say.
But the manager refuses to get carried away: “It’s good, but it’s only the pre-season. We are happy but we won’t overestimate it.”
Asked if he could score the pre-season out of ten, Lavicka didn’t bite: “We are still humble and hard-working,” he said, pushing his palms down in the manner of someone trying to keep a lid on things.
He knows there will be sterner tests over the next six weeks, including games against fellow A-Leaguers North Queensland, Newcastle and the Mariners, and partner club Shanghai Shenhua.
But the philosophy is simple.
“Hard-working, discipline and unity,” he says, “and we must enjoy every session and every game.”
While he admits having sat down with the players and mapping some team goals, publicly the mantra is one of improvement: “To be better than yesterday, bit by bit”.
It’s not necessarily about improvement on last season, for surely it can’t get any worse, but about improving in increments – every session, every game, every week.
It is the rhetoric of a man building from scratch, and you sense Lavicka has been hand-picked by the new powers at FC, David Traktovenko, Paul Ramsey, Scott Barlow and Stefan Kamasz, as much for his level head as his CV.
For a club that has gone from one PR disaster to another, from the original regime that fell into a big red hole, to the Lowy regime that struggled to shake off the “conflict off issue” tag and tame Kosmina, it’s time to try the softly, softly approach, which mightn’t always attract the headlines, but is more likely to build some long term credibility.
The sins of past are that.
After building goodwill in the first season, Sydney struggled to deal with its success, with the focus shifting from the team and the fans to the boardroom, where the internal battles all but destroyed the club.
The early signs this time around are encouraging.
Nb … Having seen a few of Sydney’s pre-season games, next up on The Roar I will dissect how Lavicka and his men are fairing on the field.
Gobouten
Guest
I also had a self imposed Kossie moratorium and watched last season's games from the pub rather than the SFS. I'm looking forward to getting back to matches this season though. Pips, this time last year you wouldn't stop going on about the pre season cup. Seems your indifference to pre season results depends on how MV is going in them (and fair enough too I guess). I truly hope that v5 does come down to that final round clash at the SFS. What could be better than that?
sampsonobrian
Guest
Pipps, has Ernie got that kebab out of his hand yet?
Pippinu
Roar Guru
samps There is one lesson I have learned living the long, fruitful and eventful life that I have lived (all 47 years of it) - never, ever worry about your pre-season form (good or bad). It's only when the three (or two or four) points are at stake that you really need to start paying attention. One thing I do know is that Carlos is about to complete his first ever complete pre-season with the club (coming into his 3rd season), and that's the only news I need to hear about our pre-season to be more than happy.
sampsonobrian
Guest
Pipps, slim pickings this year for the Tards I am predicting. Hows your preseason going?
Pippinu
Roar Guru
ah samps - fancy running into you here - you are actually wrong about the worst title defence ever, and in any eveny, I'm happy with our growing collection of silverware, thank you very much.
sampsonobrian
Guest
Midfielder, CHOKE. Sound familar? Smurfs, is that all you've got? Best SFC song is about your team.... :)
jimbo
Guest
Midfielder, you're turning into Grumpy Smurf. I hope its the Marinators, but you'd want to improve on your ACL form . . .
Midfielder
Guest
Jimbo You must be Dopey Smurf.... booking Aussie Stadium indeed ... unless it is for you coach being shot...http://onmymission.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/smurfs1.jpg
jimbo
Guest
Eight Straight from our Czech Mate with a 4-0 win against Fury at Shark Park - 20 goals for and none conceded. Get on them now for the GTS before they're backed in to short priced favourites. At this rate, Andy Dimitriou will join Rebecca Wilson, Peter Fitzsimons and Buzz Rothfield in buying a SFC Season Ticket. MVDave, there might have been a record crowd for a GTS GF last season if the Vics hadn't made the Ford Ranger Cup final and already booked the MCG when we had contention with the AFL for Etihad stadium. SFC have already booked Stadium Australia on Sat 20 March 2010 for the GTS Home GF - just waiting to see who we are going to beat to win it.
MVDave
Guest
Hope do well enough to make the finals...be good for the comp and even sweeter when mighty MV thump them before a record crowd at the MCG in the HAL GF 2010!!
Midfielder
Guest
Westy + All Westy, just for you Hakoah V St George 1969 ... funny if you listen to the guy that speaks in the last minute you could swear he was talking about Hal... BTW it only goes for 2 minutes.. Sydney Hakoah FC.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Fn3PMHvDw8
westy
Guest
3/4 of Sydney do not go for Sydney FC. Its like the old NSL days go hakoah go Sydney City . A team for all.
Midfielder
Guest
Pip We need to name some of the posters on here... Papa Smurf ( http://onmymission.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/smurfs1.jpg) ... that has to be KB..... the others may need a vote, here are some of the other Smurfs.. Brainy, Baby, Smurfette, Hefty, Jokey, Grouchy, Lazy, Snappy, Nosy, ........ heaps more here the link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_characters_in_The_Smurfs
sampsonobrian
Guest
Pipps, its obviously that time of the year again. Remember you are responsible for the 'Worst Title Defense Ever" tag - something the the Jest pushed you on last year. Once a Tard always a Tard....
Pippinu
Roar Guru
...and there can be nothing sweeter on Earth than to come back from 2-0 down (after two arsey goals scored inside the first four minutes of the game), to defeat SFC 3-2.
Pippinu
Roar Guru
Mid I have absolutely nothing against SFC fans, I'm sure they're all the salt of the Earth, it's just that, well, I dunno - they're all so damn dislikeable!!
Midfielder
Guest
Pip Stop trying to be nice to the Choppers Smurfs... it is better to face the truth ... you guys are hopeless ... Pip stop trying to give them some hope it will hurt them more in the end .. trust me on this...
Pippinu
Roar Guru
It takes a massive leap of faith to follow a club like SFC, one that goes well beyond all logic and reason. Hold onto your money, all of you, this season can only end badly and give you more heart break - I honestly fear for your emotional stability should this season pan out as I'm imagining it will. Look to get real value for your money, like buying a family membership to your local Putt Putt course, or something similar - try and spend you money wisely - that's all I'm trying to say. (written with the utmost sincerity and with nothing but compassion in my heart, and love for my fellow human being)
Tony Tannous
Expert
Millster and Vincentin, great to read that many Syd fans are on board, or back on board. Fans have been stung, no doubt, by all the interal bickering over the past three years, and I dont blame any for playing the wait and see game. Refreshingly, Lavicka made a pointed case, at the end of our chat, of wanting to thank the fans. Before that, at the final whistle, as players walked to the tunnel for their shower, Lavicka intervened and pointed to the fans. Off the players went. Sledgeross, in the three game I've seen, against Bankstown, Penrith and Syd Utd, Byun didn't play, so I can't write with any authoirity, but I asked Lavicka about him and he seemed pretty satisfied, and agreed with my notion that he might be filling one of the two spots that were available at the time. Of course, thats since been confirmed. He also noted he can play either side, left or right. Certainly looking forward to seeing him.
Vicentin
Guest
Great news about signing our new Korean left back too - there's a decent Korean population in Sydney and hopefully some of them will come along. Tony, you can add me to the list that will be going back this season. Haven't got my membership yet but will do so soon - the Kossie period moratorium is thankfully over and I can watch them live again. I watched the pre-season game against the Sydney Tigers and while the opposition wasn't much chop, Sydney looked really slick for the whole game even if Brosque's hat trick came up in the first 10 minutes or so.