As A-League teams around the league joyously announce new signings, fresh names perfumed tentatively with the scent of hopeful expectation, Sydney FC are sitting off to one side, quietly and contentedly out of the spotlight.
The transfer activity this off-season has occurred – certainly in terms of quantity – mainly toward the bottom of the table; the Mariners have brought in seven senior signings so far, and the Jets have brought in six.
The Wanderers, ever restless around this time of year, have acquired six new first-team hopefuls too, and although the bulk-buying ends there, the Roar and the Victory have poached name-brand players – Fahid Ben Khalfallah and Rhys Williams, respectively – from A-League rivals. City too, in Stefan Mauk, have made a statement in this transfer period.
All the while, the champions and premiers, Sydney, aren’t feeling the need to scramble to keep up; their main objective, which was totally apparent in the first few weeks of the off-season, was to re-sign their main assets and keep the core together.
Theirs was a title built on a careful mix of youth – the central pairing of Josh Brillante and Brandon O’Neill, for example – and experience – in Alex Brosque, Alex Wilkinson, Danny Vukovic, and others. The chemistry present in the first team was a potent concoction, and preventing it from curdling was the top priority. We’ve now seen, in the last month or so, that it may have been the only priority.
(AAP Image/David Moir)
And this is a good thing. Extreme volatility season-to-season is a problem in the A-League – Adelaide’s title defence last season is evidence that the problem endures – and the best solution to that problem is stability.
The Mariners and Jets are splashing out because they have to; they cannot afford – in every sense of the phrase – to remain as they have been, wallowing at the foot of the table, repulsing crowds with awful results. Asdrubal Padrón, a 26-year-old striker the Mariners announced the acquisition of yesterday, is a gamble worth taking simply because, well, things can’t really get much worse, can they?
As of now, Sydney have signed three players, none of whom could reasonably be described as blockbuster transfers, and yet all of whom add depth and, in the case Luke Wilkshire, experience to an already mature squad. When Rhyan Grant suffered a ruptured ACL earlier this month, there was cause for alarm; Grant had been one of Sydney’s best players last season.
Similarly, when Danny Vukovic departed for Belgium, Sydney might have been excused for panicking a little. Two gaping holes in the league’s best squad had yawned open, like two sudden flapping punctures in the hull of a hovering zeppelin.
In Wilkshire and newly signed gloveman Alex Cisak, Graham Arnold has patched those two holes adroitly and without much fanfare, and no Hindenburgian plummet is expected.
Obviously, Wilkshire won’t be expected to churn through the Herculean work rate Grant so effortlessly provided, but his defensive instincts, refined over a long and successful career, should ensure that Sydney’s back line remains imperious next season.
Seb Ryall, himself now wholly back from a long-term injury, was already poised to take on Grant’s workload, and can now rest easy knowing Wilkshire is also there to support him. Certainly, there will be an element of dynamism that will be absent from the right-hand flank while Grant convalesces, but Sydney are very used to grinding out tight wins; their final regular season fixtures against Brisbane and the Victory last term come to mind, content as Sydney were in those games to stifle the contest, relying on their cutting edge to eventually secure them the points.
(AAP Image/James Elsby)
Cisak, who is 28, has spent the last few years journeying mainly around the English second division. The picture used in the club’s official announcement was of Cisak, Burnley’s goalkeeper at the time, tussling with Steve Gerrard, with Craig Bellamy seen lingering in the background. Suffice it to say that is an old photo, but, in tandem with Andrew Redmayne, Cisak should be able to make up most of the deficit left by Vukovic’s departure.
The third signing, Paulo Retre, is not expected to feature heavily in the first team, but is nonetheless a good squad player to have. Despite bidding farewell to Vukovic, Filip Holosko and Milos Dimitrijevic over this off-season – all players 32 or older – the average age of the Sydney squad hasn’t really gone down.
The A-League is still a competition that generally rewards experience over youth, and Graham Arnold knows this. Even the players like Michael Zullo (age 28) and Grant (26) are older than you think.
So, the Sky Blue half of the harbour city needn’t fret that their local rivals are out-spending them, feverishly refreshing the club website for news of a spangly new marquee.
There is virtue in patience, in stillness, and while the flurry continues around them, Sydney are right to bed in and wait it out. Only once has n A-League team won back-to-back championships, and never has a club won back-to-back premierships.
Sydney, as presently constituted, are well-poised to achieve both of these things, and it’s unlikely that all the activity occurring in their peripheral vision will distract them from the task.
Waz
Guest
An update on Tommy Broich here: http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/football/former-brisbane-roar-star-thomas-broich-requires-more-surgery-on-his-ankle/news-story/fd8ac9b88bbad7874a03fadc88b30521 Unfortunately he requires a second ankle operation which will take place in August.
Waz
Guest
OK, maybe a tad harsh then, but with some of these comments you have to say with "friends" like this, football doesn't need enemies lol
Footoverhand
Guest
Hopefully they make a good showing in the ACL
Footoverhand
Guest
Okon is making some really good signings, they could be up there, it will be interesting watching them.
Midfielder
Guest
Mariners just announced signing a new DM Looking forward to the season
Lionheart
Guest
I don't know where this cutting edge comes from, that allowed SFC to grind out wins in the final rounds of the regular season after stifling the contest? Roar's final regular games were against Glory, Mariners and Phoenix. They did play SFC three times, for two draws and a win, none of which were ground out with a cutting edge. Victory played Mariners, WSW and Phoenix. Sydney played City, Phoenix and Jets in the final rounds. They did grind out a draw with Phoenix, but I don't recall any cutting edge, just a few lucky calls. Nonetheless, I think we'd all agree that we all have a big gap to bridge this season.
Lionheart
Guest
nice replies here Waz, facts always win. but I wouldn't call it the worst state in the country. We've all got our pros and cons, we're all good. IMO Sydney will have a different challenge with ACL and FFA Cup too, they didn't use much of their depth last year but will need to this year. A few more injuries will be a good test for Sydney (say 7 out, it's a good number).
Michael Mills
Guest
Only one key player from last season has departed: Vukovic. Dimitrijivic was a bench player who hardly played, Ibini was a loanee who played 30 minutes a match, and Holosko was above average at best. Grant is injured, and we have multiple players to cover his position. Yes, we still need to replace the Holosko/Ibini position and add some pace to the squad, but there's still two months remaining to do that. Otherwise, the core of the squad is intact. You starting peddling the idea that Sydney would undergo an exodus as soon as the final whistle blew. It hasn't really panned out that way.
Waz
Guest
Wesley Sneijder Would be a cracking pick up. Agree on the recruitment, Berisha of course remains s foreign player for this seasons ACL though
Nemesis
Guest
For MVFC, it's impossible to say how the team will peform in ALeague or ACL, given there are only 14 players signed. The critical issue is getting the correct visa players. If the Korean defender, Choi works out then we can finally make use of the 3+1 rule. I heard Berisha was becoming an Australian citizen. If this has been finalized then MV only has Kosta as a foreign player, so they've got some recruiting to do. There is a strong rumour that Wesley Sneijder is being pursued by MV, but it would require FFA marquee funding assistance.
Waz
Guest
SFC gave only got 15 players, add the 3 juniors to that and you're looking at 5 signings in the next 70 days or so when the season starts. That's enough time as you say, not to panic, and to get things right. Plus there's always time for a "guest marquee" assuming that's still available.
Buddy
Guest
I thought that SFC lack of transfer activity is a sign of strength, confidence and trust in the existing squad. Now that there are a few holes there is more cause for concern but not necessarily panic. As a fan, I would rther have the settled squad with just the occasional addition rather than wholesale changes that we see regularly at WSW (although club says that will cease from next year). The buggest challenge usually is simply that everyone wants to prove a point against the champions and the most average games tkes on grand final proportions. So as usual it is always a matter of time before we get the real truth and see who has made the correct or incorrect decisions.
Waz
Guest
Slightly off your current tangent, but how do you think both will go with the ACL? I guess we need to see 5+signings for both clubs first maybe?
punter
Guest
My apoloises, so I predict Sydney FC will win more A-League trophies then MV.
Waz
Guest
Roars average squad age (21 players) is 27 with 9 over 30, 8 under 25 and three teenagers all of which will realistically get game time. SFC's average squad age (15 players) is 28.7 with 7 over 30, 4 under 25, and zero teenagers. In contrast SFCs starting line up in the GF fielded 6 players over 30 and an average age of 29.5. And the game (apparently) turned when a 30+ year old sub was sent on proving the benefit of experience. Just sayin, if you believe what you read in the Sydney press you will be misinformed lol.
Waz
Guest
Calletti (18), Dagastino (19), Ingham (17) and Brady (21) haven't been off loaded. I don't think there's a problem with Roars youth development nor our frequency with which we play them. The current squad (20 players) has 9 players aged 25 or under including 3 teenagers who will get regular game time. That's pretty good, and would compare favourably with any squad in the league I recon. But it's interesting how you lot down south treat age - Carney is 34 but is described as an "asset" but any Roar player that's 34 is "old". You sign a 36 year old that's played 5 games in the last two years in Russia's top flight and it's an "asset" but Roar sign a 38 year old from Serie A playing regularly for years and he's too "old". When Sydney signed and started a 38 year old it was a "masterstroke" but when Roar do it, he's too "old". It's astonishing double standards from the worst state in the country.
Caltex Ten & SBS support Australian Football
Guest
Yes Waz, I'm disappointed Arnold hasn't followed Aloisi's lead----off loading young players and replacing them with 38 yr old players.
Nemesis
Guest
"You didn’t think SFC was going to win a single trophy last year." That's an ALT-FACT. What's MV got to do with anything? I don't predict MV will win an ALeague trophy next season. I don't predict any team will win an ALeague trophy next season. But, I do predict SydFC will not win an ALeague trophy next season.
punter
Guest
The GK will be a huge dilemma, my faith is on John Crawley, he is one fine GK coach. Let's hope he gets Cisak going too. Last year we lacked pace, hopefully Arnie brings in a few speedy players too.
punter
Guest
Let me guess Nemesis, not a SFC fan, still not understanding how you were 17 pts in arreas. I think Melb Victory has lost a lot of players too, especially the only one I believed would've made the SFC lineup, Rojas. You didn't think SFC was going to win a single trophy last year.