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Sydney FC skipper Terry McFlynn says the club’s players must shoulder some of the blame for coach Ian Crook’s shock exit after just six A-League games at the helm.
McFlynn admitted he didn’t see Crook’s exit coming – citing health concerns and accepting he wasn’t the right person for the job – less than 24 hours after a 3-2 defeat by Melbourne Victory at Allianz Stadium on Saturday.
Sydney led 2-0 with 13 minutes remaining, but allowed their bitter rivals to hit back and claim the points just seven days after a humiliating 7-2 loss to the Central Coast Mariners.
McFlynn, who is the only player remaining from the club’s first season in 2005-06, said the squad let down their coach with the team languishing second from bottom on the ladder.
“It’s a collective and it has always been a collective at this club,” McFlynn said on Monday.
“There has never been any blame laid on one person’s shoulder. We win together and we lose together and it’s sad when anybody loses their job.
“But he’s stated it was about his health and well-being and we have to respect that.
“As a player you have to stay mentally strong. We have a professional duty to the football club and give 100 per cent day in day out.”
Crook’s resignation leaves Sydney looking for a seventh coach in eight years, but McFlynn said his decision to walk away so early in the campaign should be applauded.
“It’s early in the season and it took a lot of courage for Crooky to do what he did,” he said.
“But he has said he did it now for the sake of the club and the new manager can come in and adopt his own strategy and his own structures and try and win something this season.”
Sydney’s capitulation followed Crook’s 63rd-minute substitution of Italian World Cup winner Alessandro Del Piero.
The former Juventus superstar missed his side’s mauling by the Mariners due to tight hamstrings, but goalkeeper Ivan Necevski denied the team is over-reliant on their marquee player.
“It is not an individual sport, there are 14 or 15 guys that can come in and do a job,” Necevski said.
“Not putting down Alessandro, he’s one of the greatest players the game has ever produced and is a massive influence on and off the pitch.
“But he didn’t have 90 minutes in him and had to come off. We have to adjust and start playing like we do when he’s on it.”
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