Some people just hate Sydney FC.
And they always will, says coach Frank Farina, no matter what they can achieve this A-League season.
“It is what it is,” the Sky Blues mentor told AAP.
“It’s Sydney. It’s hated by most of the other clubs.
“Melbourne Victory are in a similar situation. They’re clubs with huge demands from supporters, from boards, from owners and that’s just reality.
“You can’t change that, irrespective of what you do or what you achieve.
“You’ve just got to get your head around it, otherwise you may as well not be here.”
Farina faces the tough task of rebuilding a club that has struggled in seasons past in his first full season at the helm.
The former Socceroos mentor took over as interim head coach in November last year after Ian Crook stepped down.
His arrival had an immediate impact on the team, with Sydney lifting from the bottom of the table (with a 2-6 win-loss record) and into the top six.
They narrowly missed out on a finals berth thanks to a last-round 3-1 loss to Brisbane Roar.
Farina began a mass clean-out almost immediately after the season ended, releasing half a dozen players and recruiting several more.
His new-look squad, which now includes the likes of Pedj Bojic, Richard Garcia, Matt Jurman and the returning Nick Carle, is – on paper – one of the strongest in the A-League.
And after a solid pre-season, Farina is hopeful his Alessandro Del Piero-led side can better last campaign’s seventh-place finish in 2013/2014.
“We hope that we’re going to be super competitive,” he said.
“(But) there’s always pressure at this club.
“The previous eight years, the demands have been huge and this year’s no different.
“And that brings pressure to everyone involved at the club. It’s how we handle that pressure which will determine how well we go.
“Some people thrive on it, some people buckle. That’s just the way it goes with big clubs.”
Sydney kick off their ninth season in the league against Newcastle at Allianz Stadium on Friday.
While Farina is intent on posting a win, he admits a loss would not be a sign of things to come.
“A good start’s important but as you saw, Brisbane finished well last year. We finished well last year,” he said.
“I think it’s trying to get that over a 27-game period constantly. That’s the key.”
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