A-League: Alf sets his sights on goalscoring record

Adam le Fondre’s return of nine goals in the opening 10 games — three more than Bobo had at the same stage last season.

Adam Le Fondre celebrates one of his two goals against Brisbane on Saturday

As a striker, it’s Adam le Fondre’s job to score goals.

And, like any attacker worth his weight in gold, you would expect the Englishman to have more than a touch of cockiness and self-assurance in his ability to deliver and provide the big bang for the big bucks he gets paid.

But, as good as he has been during a 14-year career playing in various leagues in England, he raised a few eyebrows when he made it known he had Bobo’s A-League goalscoring record in his sights.

The Brazilian was a huge hit with Sydney FC in his two seasons with the Sky Blues, scoring 15 goals in the first season before obliterating the previous record of 23 for most goals in a season held by ­Melbourne City’s Bruno Fornaroli.

Bobo’s 27 goals in 28 games last season was expected to stand the test of time, and it might still.

But le Fondre, 32, is clearly going to give it a good crack after scoring a brace in Sydney’s 2-1 win over Brisbane Roar at Jubilee Stadium on Saturday night in a result that took the Sky Blues into a three-way tie at the top of the A-League table.

The double has given the man known as Alf a return of nine goals in the opening 10 games — three more than Bobo had at the same stage last season.

So far he has lived up to the pre-season hype when he made it clear he wanted to break Bobo’s record.

“I don’t want to match it (the scoring record). I want to better it,” he said in an interview at the time.

“I don’t want to be the same. I’m a striker, I score goals, I look for things to push me on and give me an edge. But I’m not worried about it. I think I will give it a good go.”

Whether he breaks the record or not is not something that bothers Sydney coach Steve Corica.

Instead, Corica sang le Fondre’s praises for what he brings to the side in terms of his workrate and his willingness to defend from the front.

“He was very good for us … his workrate was exceptional. He works defensively, makes great forward runs and scores goals,” Corica said.

“His two goals were great and he is obviously enjoying his time here. He is playing well and doing a great job for the team.

“Obviously he wants to beat Bobo’s record but what is more important for me is his overall contribution to the team.”

Sydney was made to work hard by a Roar side still reeling from the shock departure of coach John Aloisi a little over 24 hours before the game.

Interim coach Darren Davies admitted it had an effect on the players, but praised them for showing plenty of fighting spirit under difficult circumstances.

“It was disappointing, first and foremost, to lose John. We lost a good person who has done a ­fantastic job for the football club,” Davies said.

“We talked about fighting and showing a bit of team spirit out of respect (for Aloisi).

“Obviously we trained yesterday after the news and it was a very sombre mood.” Davies said it was difficult keeping the Brisbane Roar players’ minds on the job.

“The playing group was very fond of him and what he had done for every single one of us. They were down to have lost him, but when all is said they are professionals and have a job to do, and they did it,” Davies said.

Davies said he hasn’t thought about putting in for the job on a full-time basis.

“It’s too raw at the moment, we were only told yesterday,” he said.

“There’s still a lot of emotion there, around the club, the playing group. The focus was the game against Sydney, so I have not thought about it.”