Permiership window might be a term thrown about far more liberally in other codes, but the concept is certainly worthy of consideration ahead of Saturday’s A-League grand final.
Especially, given the events of the past week when it comes to Sydney FC.
Since it won its way into the decider at the expense of brave Wellington last Saturday, the Sky Blues have learned it will be without two of its key players this term for season 2010/11.
Defender Simon Colosimo’s exit is hardly a surprising one. Seemingly destined for the K-League, Colosimo’s career has had more stops than a ride on London tube’s Central Line.
While the signs had been there for some time, the departure of Karol Kisel is rather more surprising. The Slovakian had impressed in some earnest displays and was one of Sydney’s more creative players this season.
The two join Steve Corica, Clint Bolton and potentially John Aloisi as those who won’t be seen in the Sky Blue again.
All five have done more than play their parts in Sydney’s march to the final.
They have been established members of the club’s nucleus, and their absence for the 2010/11 season means Viteszlav Lavicka’s side will be much changed.
That means little to tomorrow’s decider. But it is conceivable that, even with Lavicka’s canny nous in the transfer market, the grand final could represent the best opportunity for Sydney FC to land the title over the next few seasons.
The short history of the league shows us that, Melbourne aside this season, clubs have had a doggedly difficult time backing up their title defences or even solid finals campaigns.
The Sky Blues have already toppled the Victory twice this season, having showed an ability to tear holes in Melbourne’s defence that other sides simply could not do.
In Mark Bridge and Alex Brosque, Lavicka possesses two strikers that have struck up a splendid partnership.
An annoying nickname for all fans of other sides, the duo’s moniker – the ‘Killer Bs’ – nevertheless has more than a large element of truth.
So, let’s run through: Is Sydney capable of beating Melbourne, even at Etihad Stadium? Definitely. Does it have the players in form at the right time? Yes.
Will the Sky Blues, in the short term, have a better chance to win its second A-League title than tomorrow? Who knows?
Only time will reveal if Sydney’s premiership window extends past this season.
Only a win will make any such questions redundant.
jimbo
Guest
Hi Ingrid, lovely to hear from you. Hope you weren't affected by the earthquakes. The A-League continues to grow in terms of overseas audiences so hopefully more games will be telecast into south America next season. It is an amazing league and the people here are very unique too.
Ingrid (Chile)
Guest
I wish I could watch more Australian football here. It seems such an amazing league to follow!
Tom
Guest
This article should really be named 'big questions for Sydney before the grand final'. I opened it up expecting to see questions about whether Musialak could stop Hernandez, whether Sydney's front three would the Melbourne backline into the ground and how young Langerak would go in a grand final. Maybe it was just seen as a given that any article about the match would be about Sydney. The media this week has been oddly one-sided, considering how much more support there is for the A-league in Melbourne. When Melbourne players have been discussed, it's been with a notably sober tone compared with the enthusiastic hyperbole about the so called 'Killer Bs'. There's no cute nickname behind the Thompson-Hernandez combination. Just a lot of goals and last year's championship.
Ghost
Guest
I was bored sitting here in my hotel room in Melbourne earlier and fired up FIFA10 on my laptop - Melbourne at home to Sydney, likely grand final lineups and benches, on the closest ground I could find to Etihad, and on an evening that was mainly fine but with a little shower around kickoff. Interestingly: - in the 42nd minute Musaliak was straight red carded for a clumsy challenge from behind on Hernandez - only a minute later Muscat hammered McFlynn so bad that he was injured and had to go off, but Muscat did not get even a yellow. - The only player called for off-side all game was Archie Thompson (about 6 or 7 times) Final score - Sydney won 5-3 with braces to Kisel and Payne, and a goal to Brosque. Thompson clawed a 4-0 half time scoreline back with a second half hatrick, but that was not enough to nullify a rampaging Sydney first half display and a valiant second half of defending - and a 'sealer' goal - even with a man down. See you at the real thing tomorrow! Time to go out for some game-eve beers...
pete
Guest
Going on the other games in the finals series it's going to be close... I won't be surprised if it goes down to penalties!
MV Dave
Guest
"who cares, the finals series is just a money spinner for the FFA." ...and this money goes into Buckley's back pocket?? It is used to pay the clubs, some of whom need it to keep going...like all the codes do here. Myself and 50,000 others at ES tomorrow will care very much as will the biggest Fox TV HAL audience for the year, the players also who will be busting their balls to play well in front of a global TV audience (great chance to impress) and finally a chance for some extra publicity for our game.
DiCanio
Guest
who cares, the finals series is just a money spinner for the FFA. Premiership, scudetto, whatever you want to call it, has already been decided.
jimbo
Guest
Sydney will score first and win. But just in case, I'll back MV to win to lessen the blow.
Dogz R Barkn
Roar Guru
Three of the four grand finals to date have been decided by a 1-0 result, and I can see that happening again tomrrow. SFC play a tight, counter-attacking game, which is fine as long as they keep a clean scoresheet, having scored so many 1-0 wins this season. But the game plan has broken down a bit during the finals series (and Lavicka has probably had to learn the hard way that there is a difference between coaching a series of home and away games as opposed to displaying your very best form in a handful of finals games where the pressure is that little bit more). SFC have actually conceded two goals in each of their three finals games, as opposed to an average during the regular season of less than one per game. Add that a few SFC players have already made different plans for next season, it all points to Melbourne scoring a 1-0 or 2-1 win at home.
victoryforvictory
Guest
i think the week off will certainly benefit victory, players involved in the Asian Champions leauge have now had enough time to recover. Theres no way Ernie Merricks fresh victory team will be beaten this saturday at Etihad