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For too long Sydney FC has had a poor footballing culture, lacking passion and a clear style of football that the fans so desperately want.
The futile attempts to rectify this through the hiring and sacking of substandard coaches Vítězslav Lavička, Ian Crook goes as far back to Branco Culina and John Kosmina.
This has seen the club sink to a lower level, to be a below average team who are painful to support.
One of the major problems that have led to this mediocrity has been the poor recruiting of players in the last few years.
Sydney is the heartland of Australian football with our most successful sons of late, Harry Kewell and Tim Cahill, learning the game at their respective clubs.
Yet somehow, the focus seems to be on bringing in international players to fill squad rotations.
Yairo Yao departed the club this month, who was originally signed from Panama, not exactly a place where scouts could watch his performances regularly before signing him.
His performances resembled the enthusiasm of Alessandro Del Piero’s walk off Pirtek Park on Saturday night.
Game after game of small cameos off the bench, Yau showed his speed and his ability to give the ball to the opposition.
It almost seemed that the club was looking for some pace and so went out to the other side of the world to find pace… but not much else.
Stark comparison to Yairo Yao is the home grown Ryan Grant, who is part of an elite crew of Sydney FC players who actually look as if they want to win on match days.
His work rate and competitiveness for the ball is a breath of fresh air at the back. This is especially so when the likes of Bojic, Jurman and one of the two calamities at left back, Warren or Abbas, prance around thinking about what they’ll eat after the game instead of trying to win.
And as a sidetone, thank god Sydney replaced the great decision making of Fabio Alves with someone who is as equally scared of keeping possession, Marc Warren.
It is truly a shame to see Grant on the sidelines when Sydney so desperately need someone to show what competitiveness is, although Garcia and Gamerio aren’t far off the pace.
As if the 16 year old Daniel Allessi wasn’t another reminder that there are great young players to be found in Sydney. Allessi played his football in the North Shore, Sydney FC ‘heartland’, before the Western Sydney Wanderers picked him up.
Sydney only need look right under their nose to see the up and coming stars of the future.
The second part of the of the Sydney FC recruitment failure is the obvious age factor.
No doubt that every club needs experienced players, but a balance of young energetic players is also needed to ensure the team stays dynamic while also creating leaders for the future.
Sydney has the oldest match day squad by far in the league and I might also add the slowest.
This is not down to past players ageing. It is the result of buying old players who take up cap space and deny an opportunity of a young player to come into the team.
A prime example of this is the Matt Thompson deal. Thompson was signed a week out from the season opener on an injury replacement contract.
Yet somehow he has spent most of the season in the starting line-up and earned himself a new contract.
This is the same player who was released from the Melbourne Heart squad and is 31 years old is now somehow is good enough for a starting spot at Sydney FC.
Suddenly the short term injury replacement for Triantis has become a long-term solution to the CM position.
The end of the season will see the end of nine first team contracts, two of which belong to Del Piero and Emerton.
Though I will admit ADP’s lack of defensive pressure and fight to win back the ball hurts Sydney, It will be a shame to see him go.
Emerton I struggle to say the same thing, just the other day I had to remind myself that he is a “marquee” player for Sydney, well at least a player on a marquee contract.
I hope the club sees the opportunity to renew its playing style by bringing in players who have hearts bigger than egos, players who have something to prove when the walk out on the pitch and ultimately players who want to win.
It may seem cliché to call for the coach’s head, however Frank Farina’s poor decision making with recruiting, starting 11 selections and substitutions (i.e., taking ADP off against WSW) as well as the lack of any playing style in the team’s play, means he has to go.
But if he goes assistant Rado Vidosic also has to go.
Is he truly an assistant coach or just an overplayed set-piece coordinator?
And whoever has let Bojic gain 15kg and subsequently lose all his speed should follow, or at least start doing his/her job now and slim him down so he can do what he is meant to do, get round wingers and deliver first time balls into the box.
A proven coach needs to be brought in who would be strong enough to make bold decisions to sack backroom staff and players who don’t bleed for the club and to enlist hunger and passion in the playing group.
A certain Ange Postecoglu comes to mind.
The club culture has never really existed. There has never been a time when supporters, players and club officials can all say “we are proud of the way we are playing”.
Sydney supporters long for a time when the team are a unit with a distinct style of play that is both interesting to watch and effective in getting results, such as the Brisbane Roar of 2011-12.
It is not going to happen by buying established players with their career behind them and it’s not going to happen in six months.
It needs sustained long-term effort and patience with a coach who seeks success in the seasons to come not just in the next match and players who know the systems and want to win for the club.
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