Coach Frank Farina says he has learned to deal with the great weight of expectation at Sydney FC as he celebrates a year in the top job at the A-League’s glamour club.
Former Socceroos boss Farina joined a Sky Blues team in a state of disarray following Ian Crook’s departure in November last year and was pitched into a salvage job that ended with the club narrowly missing out on the finals due to goal difference.
After a slow first month in their 2013/14 campaign, Sydney have hit their stride on the back of three straight wins to surge to equal third on the A-League ladder alongside Newcastle Jets.
As Sydney prepare for their round eight clash with the Jets, who are also on a three-game winning streak, Farina said he was enjoying his time with the club after returning from coaching in Papua New Guinea.
“It has been anything but boring, I am thoroughly enjoying it at the moment … the time has certainly gone very quickly,” Farina said at training on Thursday.
“It is what it is. There are expectations and demands … that’s life at Sydney FC. It’s a big club with big demands and you learn to deal with that.
“It’s just a matter of making sure everyone understands the expectations and responsibilities of this club and if you can come to terms with that it makes things better.”
Farina has demanded a better performance from his players as the Sky Blues chase an unprecedented fourth successive A-League win at Allianz Stadium on Saturday.
The Jets (third) lead Sydney FC (fourth) on the ladder only by goal difference, with both teams on 12 points and trailing only Brisbane Roar (15) and Western Sydney Wanderers (14).
The Sky Blues have never won four games in a row and face a tough task against a Newcastle side led by strikers Adam Taggart and Emile Heskey.
“Newcastle are playing very well at the moment and we have to be better than we were last week,” Farina said.
“I wasn’t happy with the way we started the match or the way we played in general.
“If we play like that again we could be in trouble.”
Taggart has scored six goals in three weeks to race to the top of the A-League goalscorers’ list and Heskey is set to start alongside him for the first time this season in a very potent attacking line.
Farina was confident his team would be up to the task.
“Certainly with Taggart and Heskey … it will be a test for us,” he said.
“Taggart is in red hot form and Heskey always poses problems so hopefully we can manage that.
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