A-League Tackle: Adrian Segecic no guarantee to start for Sydney FC, Victory scrutiny

A hat-trick from a Sydney FC young gun might not be enough for a starting berth and the one club you must watch. Socceroos great ROBBIE SLATER and MARCO MONTEVERDE talk all the big issues in The Tackle.

Adrian Segecic and Jaiden Kucharski lead Sydney FC’s celebrations after victory over the Mariners. Photo: Albert Perez/Getty Images.

A hat-trick from a Sydney FC young gun might not be enough for a starting berth and the one club you must watch.

Socceroos great ROBBIE SLATER and MARCO MONTEVERDE talk all the big issues in The Tackle.

SIZZLING SEGECIC

Hat-trick hero Adrian Segecic can’t do much more than what he did on Saturday night in his bid for a spot in Sydney FC’s starting team.

Coming off the bench at Allianz Stadium, Segecic netted three goals in the space of 22 minutes to propel Sydney to a 4-1 win over the Central Coast Mariners.

In the form that 20-year-old Segecic is in, he would walk into almost every other A-League club’s starting team.

However, such is the Sky Blues’ attacking depth that Segecic is no certainty to force his way into Sydney’s starting team for Wednesday’s clash against the Phoenix in Wellington.

And that’s even with Sydney’s marquee man Douglas Costa still unavailable because of a hamstring injury.

It’s a pleasant selection headache for Sky Blues coach Ufuk Talay to have.

“His attitude has been sensational for us,” Talay said in praising Segecic, who returned to Sydney this season after spending a season on loan at Dutch lower division outfit FC Dordrecht.

The move instilled plenty of belief in the youngster

“Going overseas and getting a lot of games – every three or four days – really helped build my confidence and experience,” Segecic said.

“I feel confident and free when stepping on to the field now, and that’s been massive for me in these recent games.”

Adrian Segecic scores his second goal against the Mariners. Photo: Albert Perez/Getty Images.

It has also been huge for the Sky Blues, who are unbeaten in their past five games after an inconsistent start to their campaign.

While Sydney’s attack has been excellent, Talay’s team has also looked stronger with captain Rhyan Grant moving from right-back to the centre of defence.

Experience is what Sydney was lacking in its central defensive positions, and Socceroo Grant provides that.

However, still expect the Sky Blues to work hard during the transfer window to bring a seasoned centre-back to the club.

WESTERN A MUST-WATCH

Western United is arguably the A-League’s most exciting team to watch.

The wisdom of experience and the exuberance of youth, plus the superb coaching of John Aloisi, make United matches the highlight of A-League weekend viewing.

Even when United were 3-2 down in the dying stages of Friday night’s clash against Melbourne Victory, there was the sense that Aloisi’s men had plenty left in them.

And late goals from strikers Noah Botic and Hiroshi Ibusuki secured United a 4-3 win in one of the games of the season.

Japanese marksman Ibusuki has been a wonderful acquisition for United. It’s still astounding that Adelaide didn’t do more to try to keep him.

Western United are a must watch team. Photo: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images.

Ibusuki’s experience and nous have been crucial to the development of Botic, whose header to level scores at 3-3 was superb.

United’s talent doesn’t just end there. Angus Thurgate has been brilliant in the middle of the park, while a host of youngsters, including Rhys Bozinovski, Abel Walatee, Dylan Leonard, Luke Vickery and Jordan Lauton, have thrived with the opportunities being given to them by the astute Aloisi.

After a couple of tough years following the club’s title success in 2022, United is again among the A-League’s better teams.

HONEYMOON OVER

Is the reality and grind of the A-League beginning to tell on Auckland FC?

Having started their debut season in the competition with seven successive wins, the Black Knights have only tasted victory in one of their past four games.

Their latest setback was a 1-0 loss to the struggling Perth Glory at HBF Park on Saturday night.

Apart from the woeful Brisbane Roar, the Glory have been the A-League’s most disappointing team this season, so Auckland was expected to dispose of the West Australian outfit.

Steve Corica’s Auckland FC are facing a challenging period. Photo: Paul Kane/Getty Images.

However, perhaps taking the long trip from Auckland to Perth took the zest out of the Black Knights, who were poor in the first-half.

Despite improving after halftime, the visitors couldn’t break through and fell to their second loss of the season.

The Black Knights face a much tougher opponent, the in-form Melbourne City, in Auckland on Saturday.

Whether they can bounce back from their shock loss will be intriguing.

While it’s hardly the time for panic, Auckland’s honeymoon period is definitely over.

ARTHUR’S ANGST

Scrutiny is intensifying on Melbourne Victory’s interim boss Arthur Diles.

The Victory were sitting sweet in second spot with five wins, a draw and a loss from seven matches when coach Patrick Kisnorbo shocked the A-League with his decision to part ways with the Melbourne club.

Assistant coach Diles was then elevated to the top job in an interim capacity and in his five games in charge the Victory are yet to win.

While there have been admirable draws under Diles against Melbourne City and Auckland FC, the Victory were lucky to escape with a home draw against Western Sydney, and have been beaten by Sydney FC and Western United.

The Victory’s inability to close out Friday’s home match against United when leading 3-2 late in the contest should be of particular concern.

Hopes were high under Kisnorbo that the Victory could contend for the title, and while all is not lost, Diles needs to start chalking up wins, and quickly, if his team is to challenge for the championship, and if he wants the job on a permanent basis.

Team of the week

(4-1-2-3; includes midweek performances)

Oliver Sail (Perth Glory); Zac De Jesus (Sydney FC), Rhyan Grant (Sydney FC), Kai Trewin (Melbourne City), Joel King (Sydney FC); Anthony Caceres (Sydney FC); Jaylan Pearman (Perth Glory), Adrian Segecic (Sydney FC); Ben Mazzeo (Melbourne City), Hiroshi Ibusuki (Western United), Joe Lolley (Sydney FC). Coach: Ufuk Talay (Sydney FC).

Player of the week: Adrian Segecic (Sydney FC)

Originally published as A-League Tackle: Adrian Segecic no guarantee to start for Sydney FC, Victory scrutiny