FFA Cup: Sydney FC taking no notice of Wanderers’ poor results

Sydney FC coach Steve Corica is taking little notice of a couple of pre-season thumpings for Western Sydney Wanderers.

Milos Ninkovic, right, at Sydney FC training in the rain yesterday. Picture: AAP

Sydney FC coach Steve Corica is taking little notice of a couple of pre-season thumpings for Western Sydney Wanderers heading into tomorrow’s FFA Cup semi-final derby.

Still coming together under new coach Markus Babbel, the Wanderers have struggled in their A-League pre-season games, losing 3-0 to Central Coast Mariners and 4-0 to Newcastle Jets.

“They’ve had a couple of hidings … but it’s a derby, there something on the line for this game,” Corica said.

“They were friendly games, pre-season games and there’s a trophy up for grabs if we can get through to the final after this.

“So it will be a different game for them, they will be up for it.”

Corica will have almost all of his squad available. Promising central defender Ben Warland will be out for three months after fracturing his foot in training.

“It’s unfortunate he’ll miss the start of it (the season) now, but we’ll have him fit, ready to go when it’s important that we’ll need him,’’ Corica said.

“Especially, we’ve Champions League as well this year, so we need four good centre backs fit and ready for that.”

Classy midfield recruit Daniel De Silva is available for tomorrow night’s game at Penrith Stadium after recovering from the hamstring injury he suffered five weeks ago.

“He’s been training the last two, three weeks, so he’s excited and ready to go,” Corica said.

He said Sydney’s imports players Adam le Fondre, Siem de Jong and Jop van der Linden, and former Mariners forward Trent Buhagiar, had all settled in well. Corica has used former Dutch international de Jong has been used both as an out and out striker and in a playmaking role.

“We can play him high or a little bit deeper in the midfield. He gives us that versatility that we need,” Corica said.

With Socceroos captain Mile Jedinak retiring from international duty, Corica feels Sydney’s holding midfielders Brandon O’Neill and Josh Brillante could come under consideration by new national coach and ex-Sydney FC mentor Graham Arnold.

“They are great professionals,’’ he said. “They work very hard and I wouldn’t be surprised if one or both of them end up in the national team this year. Graham knows them very well and knows what to expect from them.”

Meanwhile, the Wanderers have added to their midfield stocks by signing former Melbourne Victory player Rashid Mahazi. Mahazi made more than 90 appearances for the Victory, coming off the bench late in both their 2014-15 grand final and 2015 FFA Cup final wins.

The defensive midfielder joins the Wanderers from Victorian National Premier League club Moreland Zebras.

AAP