A-League: AFC Champions League Two becomes Sydney FC’s priority
While they remain in the hunt for the A-League finals series, continental glory has become the main goal for Sydney FC and coach Ufuk Talay. Robbie Slater and Marco Monteverde dive into the big issues in The Tackle.
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While they remain in the hunt for the A-League finals series, continental glory has become the main goal for Sydney FC and coach Ufuk Talay.
Robbie Slater and Marco Monteverde dive into the big issues in The Tackle.
Asian glory is Sydney FC’s priority
Sydney FC’s priority has become the AFC Champions League Two competition rather than the A-League, and it’s hard to blame Sky Blues coach Ufuk Talay for placing greater importance on continental glory – and the riches that come with it – than domestic success.
The Sydneysiders needed a stoppage-time winner from substitute Adrian Segecic to beat Adelaide United 3-2 on Saturday night, with the three points lifting them above the Reds and into the top six on goal difference.
However, the Sky Blues are still no guarantee of finishing in the top-six, considering three of their final four regular season games are against the teams currently placed first, second and third – Auckland FC, Western United and Melbourne City respectively – on the ladder.
Throw in Sydney’s Champions League Two commitments, and it’s a tough and busy schedule.
However, the Sky Blues aren’t complaining about being in the Champions League Two semi-finals.
Talay is a realist, and knows that Sydney’s best chance of lifting silverware this season is now in Asian competition.
While beating Singapore club Lion City Sailors over two legs won’t be easy, Sydney has a huge chance to not only reach the Champions League Two final – against either Al Taawoun (Saudi Arabia) or Sharjah (UAE) – but also win it, as the final isn’t played over two legs and the fact that Sky Blues will host it if they get that far.
It was therefore no surprise that Talay took off his best player, Douglas Costa, in the 65th minute on Saturday night with Sydney holding a slender 2-1 lead at Coopers Stadium.
Talay wants the brilliant Costa 100 per cent and firing on all cylinders on Wednesday night in Singapore against Lion City.
When Archie Goodwin equalised for Adelaide eight minutes later, many were questioning Talay’s decision to replace potential matchwinner Costa in such an important game in terms of the top six.
However, even if Segecic hadn’t have scored the later winner and Sydney would have left Adelaide with only one point instead of three, Talay would have had no regrets about taking off his star former Juventus and Bayern Munich winger.
“That’s football and these are the decisions you need to make,” Talay told The Tackle.
“We’re trying to win A-League games to move up the table, but at the same time, we’re in a semi-final where we can do well, and possibly play a final in an Asian Champions League competition.
“It’s a bit of a balance but these are the risks you take. If we had pushed Douglas to 90 minutes, were we going to get the best out of him on Wednesday as well? Those are things we have to factor in at times.
“For me, with how close we now are in the Champions League Two, we’ll always do our best to try to play in that final.
“That’s where we’re out. It gives us another opportunity in that if you do win the Champions League Two, you’re guaranteed Champions League Two football the season after and at least a playoff to play in the Champions League Elite competition.
“Looking at the financial side of things, that will definitely be quite rewarding for the players and for the club as well.
Winning the Champions League Two competition would earn the Sky Blues more than $5 million.
That’s money that A-League clubs can’t afford to sneeze at.
Talay has been proud of his squad’s “resilience” this season.
“I honestly believe that A-League squads aren’t designed to play in the two different competitions,” he said.
“There are times when we try to rotate, there are times when we try to push our starting 11 that we believe are the best players to win the game at that time, and sometimes you get that inconsistency.
“It hasn’t been easy with the travel in Asia, but the boys are still being resilient, they’re still working hard and no matter what anyone says, we’re still in a great position to push within the A-League competition and we’re also two games away to possibly play in the final of an Asian competition.”
Dream premiership decider looms
The dream scenario of the A-League premiership being decided in the final-round clash between Western United and Auckland FC at Ironbark Fields has become more feasible after the weekend’s results.
With most A-League teams having four regular season matches remaining, Auckland remains in the box seat to lift the Premier’s Plate.
However, depending on results next weekend, Western United could be within two points of Auckland by next Sunday night.
Third-placed Melbourne City, the other side still with a realistic chance of finishing in first place, can put pressure on both Auckland and United – who have tough away matches against Sydney FC and Western Sydney respectively next Saturday and Sunday – by beating the struggling Brisbane Roar on Friday night at AAMI Park.
That shouldn’t be a problem for City against a poor Roar side that will go into the match low on confidence after suffering an embarrassing 5-1 home loss to Macarthur FC.
A City would move them, at least temporarily, two points ahead of United and to within three points of Auckland.
Veart’s fate sealed
It was hard not to feel sorry for Adelaide United coach Carl Veart after the Reds’ 3-2 loss to Sydney FC on Saturday night.
Perhaps resigned to losing his job at the end of the season, Veart looked like a dead man walking following the defeat.
Veart has done so much for the Reds – who work on a limited budget – in terms of developing young players that have subsequently been sold to overseas clubs to earn Adelaide millions of dollars in transfer fees.
And while the Reds can still qualify for the top six, it’s unlikely that playing finals football will be enough to save Veart’s job, with the club’s Dutch technical director Ernest Faber seemingly having already made up his mind that a new coach is required in Adelaide.
Team of the week
(4-1-3-2): Harrison Devenish-Meares (Sydney FC); Tim Payne (Wellington Phoenix), German Ferreyra (Melbourne City), Dan Hall (Auckland FC), Aziz Behich (Melbourne City); Kai Trewin (Melbourne City); Rhys Bozinovski (Western United), Saîf-Eddine Khaoui (Macarthur FC), Marin Jakolis (Macarthur FC); Archie Goodwin (Adelaide United), Patryk Klimala (Sydney FC). Coach: Mile Sterjovski (Macarthur FC).
Player of the week: Marin Jakolis (Macarthur FC)
Originally published as A-League: AFC Champions League Two becomes Sydney FC’s priority
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