Embattled Sydney FC coach Frank Farina has strongly defended the A-League club’s powerbrokers and his own football decision-making.
Farina has been hounded by disgruntled Sydney supporters, some of whom held aloft a banner calling for his sacking during last Saturday’s 3-0 home defeat by Adelaide.
There were also calls for the heads of Sydney FC chief executive Tony Pignata and chairman Scott Barlow, with some questioning the way the club is being run.
Farina addressed those issues in a blog on his personal website on Wednesday.
He did not explain why he’d banished veteran players Nick Carle and Matt Thompson from first team training from Monday, but they were reinstated on Wednesday after the players’ union intervened.
“I don’t have a problem whatsoever in fans making their views known,” Farina wrote.
“It’s everyone’s right to have an opinion and members and fans who pay money each year to belong to a club, are more than entitled to make their view known.
“I also don’t have a problem with seeing the sign #FarinaOut. It’s an extension of the above.
“I learned long ago that managing a football team is not a popularity contest.”
Farina was adamant that the criticism of Pignata and Barlow was unfair.
“I’ve worked in many clubs and environments in football, and Sydney FC is one of the more professional organisations I’ve experienced,” he said, contrasting it to difficult circumstances he faced when Socceroos coach.
“At Sydney FC, Scott and Tony are approachable, Sydney FC has a rightfully ambitious strategy, we have quality training facilities, a fulltime staff, and players are paid a good salary on time.
“Other than signing-off on contracts, neither the Board nor Tony dabble in playing decisions.”
The heat cranked up further at Sydney FC on Monday when Carle and Thompson were banished from first team training, reportedly told they were a negative influence.
Professional Footballers Australia released a statement on Wednesday announcing their exile had been ended following PFA talks with Sydney FC.
The attack-minded Carle has been deployed as a deep midfielder and the pair are believed to have clashed over his suitability for the role.
However, the coach said the team can’t accommodate two players in the attacking No.10 role and insisted Carle’s was still a creative position.
“What I’m looking for in a seemingly defensive midfield position is a deep-lying playmaker who can use space and time on the ball to create moves in multiple ways, not just attacks on goals,” he said.
“Think Pirlo, Xavi, Paul Scholes. With Alessandro del Piero in the side as the club’s marquee player, we don’t need a second number 10.”
Farina hit back at critics who’d suggested he was “clueless”.
“I played more than 400 first class domestic league games,” he said.
“I won four championships in two countries … played in the equivalent of the Champions League and the Europa League, was leading goalscorer three times in two countries.
“I won player of the year twice in Australia and once in Belgium, coached around 275 games including a third place for Australia in the Confederations Cup, and am currently completing my Pro-Licence.
“You might disagree with what I do, but one thing I’m not is clueless when it comes to football.”
Aethelbert
Guest
Care to tell me what exactly is out of order with that? Thought not...
Stevo
Guest
http://sfcu.com.au/smf202/index.php?topic=21060.0 Looks like the Cove reckons it has a mandate to run the club LOL. Somebody let them know it doesn't work that way in the HAL.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
Where did I say anything about Farina's coaching quality you clown? I will repeat for the dullards &/or out-of-work writers: Farina said: “You might disagree with what I do, but one thing I’m not is clueless when it comes to football.” And, I agree ... .. Farina knows more about football – domestic club, foreign club, international; junior & senor – than 99.999% of Australians .. and 100% of people who post on this website. Again, where have I made any assessment of Farina's coaching?
Jimmy S
Guest
lol Nordster. Yep, you got it in one. SFC fans are only asking for Farina to be sacked & no one has said anything about CEO Tony Pignata and chairman Scott Barlow...
realfootball
Guest
Yes, Fussball, and I know any number of academics who know a hell of a lot about literature but couldn't write a quarter decent novel to save their lives. I also know highly rated script analysts who have had absolutely no success with their own scripts. Just because Farina knows a lot about football doesn't make him a good coach. Here's an idea for you - engage your brain before you post next time. Less attitude and more thought would save us all a great deal of your knee-jerk obnoxiousness.
The Minister
Guest
Well I find Nicky Carle frustrating at the best of times. He's capable of so much more but it's not always about ability but also about ticker. We can put the subject to rest for now because in all likelihood he won't be playing again this season but if he were still playing then the bench option would be my preferred one with him being a straight swap for ADP late in the game if necessary.
Franko
Guest
Indeed, Gattuso was the ball winner, and whilst Pirlo was on loan at Brescia they had Pep Guardiola to win the ball also. But the point is this, you can't play Carle alongside Del Piero, so you either play him deep and have someone like Tezza or Thommo or Dimitrijevic try to win the ball or you sit him on the bench, only to come on if and when ADP is fatigued. I don't think Farina wanted to sell Carle because who knows if ADPs body will stand up, and if he goes down, they need a playmaker.
Towser
Guest
Here's an interesting article "Petkovic puts Sydney FC pressure in perspective". http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/news/1181464/Petkovic-puts-Sydney-FC-pressure-in-perspective
Kane Cassidy
Roar Guru
With this situation you really have to look at Sydney's youth and women's team, they are smashing their respective compeitions because the board don't give two bananas about what happens with them, the coaches are able to do what they want and how they want without some board member insisting on certain players. I'm not firmly in the "Farina out" Camp, but I do want the board to butt out when it comes to on the pitch matters.
The Minister
Guest
And Pirlo had Gennaro Gattuso as a ball winner next to him for most of his career. Carle doesn't have a defensive bone in his body so who would win the ball for him... Terry McFlynn? But it's not about this single issue anyway. It's about the style of football SFC are playing and have been playing for...ever....and about the overall performances of recent years. This is not a Farina witch hunt. This is directed at the board of SFC and the boards that came before, and the owners of course. It's just not good enough.
Kane Cassidy
Roar Guru
As I understand, Rudan doesn't want the job under the current administration and I don't blame him.
Franko
Guest
When Roberto Baggio was finishing up his career at Brescia, he had slowed up a lot. He still had the touch and could dictate play, so was very valuable up front. They had another guy in the team on loan called Andrea Pirlo, who played basically the same spot as Baggio, a playmaker come second striker up front. The coach couldn't accommodate both, so he pushed Pirlo back to play as the deep-lying, tempo dictating play-maker and kept Baggio up front to dominate offensively. Pirlo had really struggled to crack the Inter side as a number 10, but after his loan move to Bresica he got sold to Milan and became one of the best deep-lying playmakers the world has ever seen. Could we expect Nicky Carle to become the next Pirlo? I highly doubt it, but at least Franky is trying.
The Minister
Guest
I think 99% of people who post about football on this site know what is good and what is rubbish. And that's all we need to know so put away your violin.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
"his logic doesn’t hold up" Why doesn't his logic hold up? What Farina said was: "You might disagree with what I do, but one thing I’m not is clueless when it comes to football.” I agree - Farina would know more about football - domestic club, foreign club, international; junior & senor - than 99.999% of Australians .. and 100% of people who post on this website!
Franko
Guest
I will laugh a lot if there are any references to Rudan. If the fans really think he is the answer, they are kidding themselves.
realfootball
Guest
Farina's response to the Carle/Thompson situation has been a ridiculous overreaction. A reprimand was certainly in order, but to exclude them from training and playing, apparently forever, for this? This was the irrational reaction of coach no longer in control of his team or his own emotions.
realfootball
Guest
This is the point exactly. Bobby Charlton was an awful manager too. Whereas Mourninho was a teacher. Footballing pedigree and pieces of paper suggest only that you have the background to do the job. Whether you have the talent and intellect for the task is quite another matter. The most successful coaches are formidably intelligent men. A talented player, frankly, can have the intellect of a jumping bean.
Mato-Bateman
Guest
There will be plenty of 'We Want Frank Out" chants. Can almost guarantee it you think. Maybe a 'We Want Rudan' tifo.
The Minister
Guest
It's pretty clear Carle and Thompson won't be lacing up the boots again this season unless something drastic happens. But I see no point in sacking Farina now unless he commits some kind of gross misconduct. There's no suitable replacement available even for the short term. But for next season-bring out the broom. How funny, I remember myself posting that at the end of last season... If Traktovenko and Barlow want to make a statement on far they want to take the club and shut people up they need to hire an A-grade overseas coach with pedigree. That's the first step. Then let him hand-pick his assistant coach. This has to happen with plenty of time left before the start of next season because the COACHES need time to choose a suitable Marquee player and if one of their preferred options is affordable and interested he also needs to be signed with plenty of time to spare before the start of the season for adjustment purposes. And don't dangle a 1 year contract in front of the coaches. Research,evaluate and COMMIT. Rome wasn't built in a day. And if ADP wants to hang around that would actually complicate things but he might appreciate to work with men of pedigree. As far as his possible coaching aspirations go I believe that is not what SFC needs at the moment. Short term experiments are no longer the go.
fadida
Guest
Bryan Robson has done all that x 10 - and he's a very poor coach/manager. This isn't to say that FF is clueless, but his logic doesn't hold up