A-League news: Sydney FC homes in on national threepeat, but toppling Asia remains big priority
Becoming the first A-League team to win three titles back-to-back is now firmly on Sydney FC’s agenda, but their ambitions are not restricted to our shores once COVID border protocols ease.
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Not satisfied with taking down every record in Australian football history, Sydney FC have set their sights on the fresh challenge of conquering Asia and an unprecedented A-League threepeat.
Sydney this season claimed the fourth Premiers’ Plate and fifth grand final victory — two records that are unmatched in Australian history.
But Joe Marston Medal winner Rhyan Grant says the success doesn’t have to stop there, with the ongoing Asian Champions League campaign presenting the next opportunity to add to his growing collection of silverware.
Sydney have a draw and a loss in Group H, and don’t know when their next fixture will be played due to the uncertainty around the COVID-19 crisis.
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Originally scheduled for mid-October, it’s believed the games will be pushed back into November — giving the players a well-deserved break after a chaotic finish to the A-League season.
But given it’s the final frontier for a Sydney squad that has won three of the past four grand finals, and twice done the premiership-championship double in that period, Grant says they’ll be champing at the bit to break their Champions League duck.
“That’s the next big thing we want to do,” he said.
“We’ve won a lot of trophies but the Champions League we haven’t done as well as we would’ve liked over the years.
“If we could get a good run in that it would put us in good stead to claim all these things that we’re claiming as the biggest club (in Australia).”
Beyond that, becoming the first A-League team to win three titles back-to-back is firmly on the Sydney FC agenda.
Only once before Sydney has a team won back-to-back titles — Brisbane Roar in 2011-12 — but a threepeat is certainly uncharted territory.
“Obviously to do back-to-back was an amazing achievement by the boys and the staff and all of the club,” coach Steve Corica said.
“It’s only been done once before so that was a real achievement and something we wanted to do this year.
“It gave the boys a challenge to win two trophies (and) they did it, which was outstanding. And that will be the challenge next year, to go three times… no one has ever done that.
“It’s going to be very tough but I think if we can keep this group together we’ve got a very good chance of going back to back to back.”
Who will return for season 16 of the A-League will be a serious headache for Sydney in the coming weeks — with their championship-winning squad catching the attention of foreign clubs, and a reduced salary cap meaning more pay cuts and the potential for players moving on.
“We’ll know a bit more in the next few days,” Sydney captain, and PFA president, Alex Wilkinson said.
“The players have given up a lot in this last three or four month period … All for heavily reduced pay.
“I hope that we can come to an agreement that’s fair on all parties and can work something out as soon as possible.
“We’re just waiting a little bit on the clubs and FFA coming to us and giving us their position.
“Speaking selfishly from (a) Sydney FC (perspective) I hope we can keep the majority of our players.
“We’ve built such a great group and have managed to keep that core group together for so long. And that for me is the reason we’ve been so successful.”
One player who will return is star right back Grant, who declared he wants to retire at Sydney FC.
“It means everything. I’ve been here for a very long time now,” Grant said.
“It’s all I know. It’s definitely my home. If I can end my career here I’ll be very, very happy. To play for one club would be an awesome achievement in my eyes. Hopefully that’s the case.”
PLAYER RATINGS: WAS LOSING STAR ROBBED OF AWARD?
It was the goal-scoring hero who claimed the Joe Marston Medal for best-on-ground in Sydney FC’s grand final win over Melbourne City — but was a player from the losing side robbed of the award? Player ratings from Sydney FC’s grand final win over Melbourne City.
SYDNEY FC
Andrew Redmayne – Denied Jamie Maclaren early before doing well to keep out a long-distance second-half strike from Scott Galloway. Reliable as ever – 7.5
Joel King – The teenager was given a thorough workout while Lachlan Wales but survived and didn’t look out of place on the big stage – 6.5
Alex Wilkinson – Sydney’s skipper was as solid as ever in helping nullify the threat of Jamie Maclaren - 7
Ryan McGowan – Worked well in tandem with his captain in the heat of Sydney’s defence to keep Maclaren quiet - 7
Rhyan Grant – The goal-scoring hero and Joe Marston Medallist was quiet early but his work ethic was never questioned and he was fittingly rewarded – 8.5
Luke Brattan – When Sydney was in trouble early, Brattan was crucial to wrestle the ascendancy back his side’s way. Also played a great ball for Le Fondre that should have led to a Sydney penalty and played the decisive ball that led to Rhyan Grant’s goal – 8.5
Paulo Retre – Did a lot of the gritty work in Sydney’s engine room and got himself into a dangerous position in attack on more than one occasion – 6.5
Adrian Caceres – Quiet early but looked dangerous as he imposed himself on the game in the second half. Perhaps a surprise that he was taken off with game in the balance - 6.5
Milos Ninkovic – Failed impose himself in the first half but as the game slowed in the second half, he showed his class – 6.5
MATCH REPORT: Heartbreak for City as Sydney’s GF wish Grant-ed
Kosta Barbarouses – The Kiwi international rarely threatened and failed to have an impact. – 5.5
Adam Le Fondre – Worked tirelessly in attack and was unlucky his first-half work wasn’t rewarded with a spot kick when an out-smarted Curtis Good seemed to push him over in the penalty area - 7
MORE A-LEAGUE
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SUBS
Alex Baumjohann – Had a point to prove after again being left out of Sydney’s starting team and did well when introduced late in the game – 6.5
Trent Buhagiar – His pace caused City problems late in the game - 6
MELBOURNE CITY
Thomas Glover – The Olyroos gloveman made a string saves to keep his team in the contest and was unlucky to be on the losing side - 8
Harrison Delbridge – Started brightly and thought he had given City the lead before VAR intervention. His night ended in disappointment when forced off in second half with ankle injury – 6.5
Curtis Good – Perhaps lucky to get away with a first-half shove on Le Fondre but was extremely solid all night. Had a late chance to equalise with a header - 7
Richard Windbichler – The Austrian was full of poise and calmness, and produced a clever piece of defending to get the better of Adam Le Fondre in first half - 7
Nathaniel Atkinson – Worked admirably in the left-back role usually occupied by absent club captain Scott Jamieson – 7
Josh Brillante – The captain in Scott Jamieson’s absence led by example against his former club in a tough midfield battle - 7
Adrian Luna – A head knock had him off the field on a couple of occasions during second-half but bravely battled on – 6.5
Florin Berenguer – Found Noone with a nice pass in the second-half but otherwise did very little before being substituted in 76th minute – 5.5
Craig Noone – Got behind Sydney’s defence a few times but was too often tentative when he needed to be decisive in the final third of the park – 6.5
Jamie Maclaren – The Socceroos striker and Golden Boot winner was quiet all night and well contained by Sydney’s defence - 5.5
Lachlan Wales – Made life hard for young Sydney right-back Joel King and often got behind the Sky Blues defence, but couldn’t produce a killer final ball – 6.5
SUBS
Connor Metcalfe – Looked handy after entering the contest in the second half – 6
Scott Galloway – Came on in the 71st minute for Delbridge, and tested Andrew Redmayne with a long-distance effort – 6
Ramy Najjarine – Didn’t have much of an impact after coming on late normal time - 5
Rostyn Griffiths – N/A
Stefan Colakovski – N/A
Originally published as A-League news: Sydney FC homes in on national threepeat, but toppling Asia remains big priority