Sydney FC mark 15 years of history with videos celebrating 15 key moments
There have been amazing highs and heartbreaking lows but after 15 years, Sydney FC are ready to mark their fantastic A-League journey with a series of specially produced videos. WATCH THE NEXT CLIPS HERE.
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It has been 15 years of Sky Blue dreams and despair, highs and lows, pleasure and pain. No wonder Sydney FC have drawn breath to take stock of their history, and their 15 greatest moments in that time.
From four championship wins and the A-League’s greatest marquee to fan demonstrations and coach sackings, there have been the thrills and spills of any substantial football club.
But it’s true that no other club has been more successful in the landscape of Australian football, prompting Sydney to release a series of video vignettes to mark the 15 key moments of the 15 years.
Those four grand final wins are in there, along with the signing of Alessandro Del Piero, the W-League double of 2009 and winning the FFA Cup.
But there are other numbers that define some of those — the very small group — who have been there since the start. For chairman Scott Barlow, on the board since day one, it’s not just the silverware but the personnel numbers beyond the trophies.
For coach Steve Corica it’s the fact that 15 years on Sydney’s payroll adds up to a third of his whole life. For board member Michael Crismale it was the numbers on the contracts he drew up as company secretary for the first season.
But for all of them the overriding figure is the 90 minutes each weekend during the season that for all the work that goes on behind the scenes is what actually defines the club’s fortunes.
“That's the business,” said Barlow. “Here in my property company, it's a much bigger business and a much simpler business. I have to do four or five things well and the business is successful.
“At Sydney FC, we truly have to do hundreds of things well, and then you have to win on the pitch. Financially, even when you do all of those things, it's still a struggle.
“But we still love it, we're passionate about it, passionate about the city.”
As player, captain, youth team coach, second assistant first team coach, first assistant and now head coach, Corica’s record is a seamless one at the Sky Blues.
“Winning grand finals is what you play and coach for, but there are other parts to it,” he said.
“The fans, The Cove especially, have been wonderful here. There’s been some big names come to the club who I’m still in touch with, and you look around the league and see the number of coaches who spent time here.
“Sydney is like football generally in that you have lows as well as highs, but we’ve always been about winning.”
Involvement on the board has given Crismale priceless memories. “I remember being in a cab in Dubai with we got confirmation that Dwight Yorke had agreed to sign,” he said.
“We’re fans, even when we’re representing the club, and you get to be part of these amazing experiences.
“You look at the calibre of people involved over the years, like Steve, like Terry McFlynn, Mark Rudan, Alex Brosque, and it’s no wonder there has been such a good culture.”
It’s interesting to note that Sydney had a combined total of 15 coaches, chairmen and CEOs before Barlow and Traktovenko became sole majority shareholders in 2012, and only eight since.
“The club did suffer from some instability in the early years, from a lack of clear direction, from a lot of change in ownership, chairmen, CEOs, coaches,” Barlow said.
“I'm proud we've been able to bring a level of consistency to the club, and the achievements off the back of it.”
Sydney FC will release their 15 videos over the next four weeks.
