Sydney FC coach Graham Arnold has told his players to prepare for Tuesday’s FFA Cup clash with former National Soccer League powerhouse Sydney United in the same way they would for an A-League derby.
The round of 16 tie is the most eagerly-anticipated match-up in the cup’s short history and offers a rare opportunity for a former giant of the national competition to bring down one of the A-League glamour clubs.
While Sydney United now play in state-based competition, Arnold has warned his players to be fully switched on when they visit Edensor Park in Sydney’s south-west, or risk embarrassment.
“I told the boys they need to prepare like it is a game against Western Sydney Wanderers, (if not) then we can get a kick up the backside,” Arnold said.
“It will be a tough game, a hostile crowd. It is not an easy place to play. I have played there in front of 10,000 people and it is quite daunting.
“We have to go out there with a tough mental attitude and character. We have to turn up with a perfect attitude.”
An unfamiliar synthetic pitch at the Sydney United Sports Centre offers an added challenge for Arnold’s team.
Arnold made his name at the Croatian community-backed club during the 1980s, spending nine productive seasons at the club which has produced dozens of Socceroos over the decades.
“I’m very grateful for the time I had at Sydney Croatia and the wonderful people I met there, but football is football, and the most important thing on my mind is Sydney FC,” Arnold said.
Current Sydney United coach Mark Rudan is a former Sydney FC captain.
The quarter-final line-up will be completed on Tuesday evening with three other fixtures being played across the country.
A-League title aspirants Adelaide United host champions Brisbane Roar in an early chance to claim bragging rights ahead of the season opener next month.
Brisbane have enjoyed a solid pre-season thus far but they will be without long-serving goalkeeper Michael Theo who was ruled out after suffering a wrist injury at training on Monday just prior to the team’s departure for Adelaide.
Gold Coast-based Palm Beach Sharks will be looking to avoid a banana skin when amateur third-tier Melbourne side South Springvale visit.
The challenge facing the visitors is heightened by the absence of Darragh Ryan and former Melbourne Victory midfielder Billy Damianos who were unable to get time off work.
In Melbourne St Alban Saints face a tough task when they host A-League side Perth Glory at Knights Stadium, home of former NSL champions Melbourne Knights.
Matthew Skellett
Guest
Well i did the sums Leonardo and the total came to 18,000+ which isn't 20,000 but certainly is a impressive figure for midweek games in a brand new competition
Matthew Skellett
Guest
schooled in da classics Mo lol -featured book toonite " Lost and Found"-Brooke Davis - going to have a 'classic' night tho -I've voted for "Mansfield Park"-Jane Austen-I'm the token male toowoo lol
Leonardo
Roar Guru
Was a good night after all and an exciting game with 4 goals and a couple of Naumoff "crackers". Apparently a flare at the SFC fans end, but not thrown by SFC fans, maybe a News Limited journo threw it. David Davutovic from the Herald Sun gives it a glowing review and over 20k fans turn up for a Tuesday night of FFA Cup games. http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/football/more-than-20000-fans-turned-up-for-the-four-ffa-cup-round-of-16-games-on-tuesday-night/story-fni2wcjl-1227068380833?nk=ba1a532d5885ce162e354564328f0f38 "Seven games to go, but the FFA Cup has already proved a raging success."
AZ_RBB
Guest
umm AAMI Park late 2013? haha. I reckon we ripped at least 5 that night. Don't want to see any of that rubbish this season. Focus should be on stating our presence with our numbers, unity and voice. We'll be horribly outnumbered in Round 1 but that'll make 'victory' even sweeter :D
RBBAnonymous
Guest
They have their fair share of flares too. Believe it or more flares were lit during the NRL this season than the entire A-league season. I am not disputing that one ACL match with the Wanderers involved but other than that in the regular season I cant recall too many.
Bondy
Guest
Midfielder True, even that NITV sports on SBS gets heavily promoted and its necessary .. FFA need to promote the game to its constituents ..
AZ_RBB
Guest
What? what on earth has that got to do with anything?
Josh
Guest
Yes, here's hoping Sydney FC fans leave the knives at home.
striker
Guest
AL so true.
Paul Nicholls
Roar Guru
Hey Matt are these books written in English or the same language as your posts? Ahh the young people of today ....
AL
Guest
Unfortunatly Leonardo us Football supporters are judged differently to other sports supporters. That is the reason for my first post. One flare at a FFA cup game and its the end of the sport are we know it in Australian, according to eggball jornos. Eggball has drugs issues, simulation issues, violence to women etc and its business as usual no problem with nrl or afl. The comment from eggabll media regarding the eggball issues..... "lets talk about the footy..". Eggball has more fan violence than football, but when its football its made into a national disaster.
Paul Nicholls
Roar Guru
Exactly RBBA. I am sure Syd Utd will be gracious hosts like all the other non A-League sides. I am looking forward to a great night of football .... Provided I don't have to play dad's taxi halfway through the game
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
striker I don't watch any commercial FTA TV, so can't say whether the marketing has been worse/better/same as previously. I watch a fair bit of SBS & there are lots of ads for ALeague - both during their general TV programmes and, particularly, when there have been football shows: TWG, UCL, Europa, etc. If you're on social media, there has been a deluge of marketing - emails, Twitter updates, Facebook stories, etc. I reckon the FFA is "fishing where the fish are" - they've got a limited marketing budget, so they're using their market research to target the right demographics; rather than the scatter-gun approach of marketing to people who either hate football, or hate sport.
Leonardo
Roar Guru
The last time an A-League team played there a police riot over a little firecracker turned it into a News Limited back page event. We still don't know who threw the cracker. Its not just the behaviour of the fans that will be an issue. A strong police presence would love nothing better than to use a few "soccer w0gs" as punching bag practice. Rebecca Wilson is writing the article as we speak. The vast majority of fans will be well behaved, but the slightest disturbance will get the maximum exposure. There are a number of people watching out for the growing popularity of the FFA Cup. It will be a perfect Spring evening in Sydney so there will be a large crowd in attendance.
striker
Guest
True mid lets hope things get better in the next few weeks,del piero and co will be a big loss to the competition,it will be interesting to see Sydney fc crowds this year now that del piero is gone will they decline?
Midfielder
Guest
Striker Even SBS have been silent ... has shot out gone the way of budget cuts ... no comment of the state of the game address, or whats happen this week... Having said that the FFA Cup is getting some air time ... but as you said the NRL and to a lessor extent the AFL in their finals week just grab the headlines and media space ...
Midfielder
Guest
Punter Look forward to your match report..
langou
Roar Guru
I am confident that everyone will behave themselves. If not, I will be forced to write an article on The Roar about poor crowd behaviour
langou
Roar Guru
What book will you be discussing Matthew? Next time you have to pick try this: http://www.allenandunwin.com/default.aspx?page=94&book=9780733315657 The girls will love it. Its like an Australian version of a classic Dickens novel where good triumphs over evil
striker
Guest
Bondy i am from Sydney and they are saturating night after night with NRL finals and the newspapers, i know we don't have there cash but i am sure we could do more in the promotion of the up coming season.