Sydney FC cops raw schedule deal in Champions League push

Sydney FC have a mountain to climb in the AFC Champions League but their campaign hasn’t been helped by the Australian Professional Leagues’ lack of flexibility.

Sydney FC’s bid to reach the AFC Champions League Two final hasn’t been helped by the Australian Professional Leagues’ lack of flexibility when it comes to the scheduling of the Sky Blues’ A-League games.

The Sydneysiders have a mountain to climb in next Wednesday’s semi-final, second-leg clash against Lion City Sailors at Allianz Stadium after losing this week’s first-leg 2-0 in Singapore.

However, Sydney’s bid to win in Singapore on Wednesday wasn’t helped by the A-League schedule.

The Sky Blues wanted their match in Adelaide last weekend switched from Saturday night to Friday night, which would have allowed them to arrive a day earlier in Singapore and be better prepared for the contest.

Sydney officials asked the APL to approach Network 10 about moving the game from its prime-time Saturday night slot, and moving another to that timeslot.

However, it’s understood that the APL didn’t ask the question to Network 10.

Similar inflexibility has been shown this weekend with the scheduling of Sydney’s game at Allianz Stadium against A-League leaders Auckland FC on Saturday.

The Sky Blues left Singapore straight after their game on Wednesday night, and arrived back in Sydney about 10.30am on Thursday, giving them very little time to prepare for Saturday’s game against the Black Knights.

Why couldn’t that game not have been moved to Sunday? Or better still, why couldn’t the APL have postponed the game to allow Sydney FC the best possible preparation for next week’s clash with Lion City Sailors?

Joe Lolley in action for Sydney FC. Picture: Getty Images

Previously this season, Sydney and Central Coast Mariners have been given weekends off in between their respective Champions League Two and Champions League Elite games.

Why not this time? The whole A-League benefits if one of its clubs does well in Asian competition.

On The Attack approached the APL for an explanation of the scheduling, with the reasons given including that it was “our duty to maintain the best outcomes for our league growth” including “keeping consistency and integrity in our published draw (and) minimising any change of games unless there is a necessity to change”.

The APL also argued that “fixture planning already accounts for optimum turnaround times between games to support teams playing in Asia and these have been agreed by PFA as part of the CBA” and that their aim was to “manage the range of stakeholders involved in putting on games - stadiums, suppliers, (and) broadcasters - who all rely on stability to plan and commercialise games appropriately”.

Regardless of the APL’s reasons, Sydney should have been given more help in flying the A-League flag in Asia.

Reds must lift for Veart

If Adelaide United’s players are truly upset about the club’s decision to part ways with coach Carl Veart at the end of the season, they can prove it by sending the departing mentor out on a high.

The timing of Adelaide’s decision on Thursday to announce that Veart would not be offered a new deal was puzzling.

While it confirmed the speculation that the Reds wanted to get rid of Veart, the fact that Adelaide’s season is far from over in terms of having a chance to win silverware has left the club’s owner Cor Adriaanse and his right-hand man, technical direct Ernest Faber, wide open for ridicule.

There is no doubt that the Reds are in a form slump, having slid out of the top six on the back of securing just one win in their past 10 games.

However, they are only outside of the six on goal difference.

While the premiership is now out of the Reds’ reach, finishing in the top six and playing finals football remains a huge possibility, particularly considering three of Adelaide’s remaining four regular season matches are against the competition’s three poorest teams – Perth Glory, Brisbane Roar and Wellington Phoenix.

If the Reds can secure nine points from those three matches, it should be enough for them to finish in the top six, regardless of the result of their game against Melbourne City.

Finals football will then give the South Australian club the chance to win the championship.

Imagine if Adelaide was to win the grand final. Adriaanse and Faber would be left with egg on their faces.

Such a scenario is why it was odd for the Reds to announce Veart’s end-of-season exit on Thursday rather than wait until the end of their 2024-25 campaign, when a title win might lead them to the conclusion that they should retain the services of their current coach.

Regardless of where Adelaide finishes this season, Veart has done a good job at the helm, having developed a host of South Australian talent, which has led to the club making millions of dollars in transfer fees from the sale of a handful of those players to overseas clubs.

Huge chance for Melbourne City

Melbourne City cannot waste its golden chance to put pressure on second-placed Western United.

That opportunity is on Friday night when City hosts the lowly Brisbane Roar at AAMI Park.

With a win over the Roar, City will dislodge United from second spot, at least until Sunday, when United face the tough task of beating Western Sydney Wanderers at CommBank Stadium.

However, United’s form has been superb, with John Aloisi’s men unlikely to be overawed in a game that will feature two of the A-League’s best young attackers ­– United’s Noah Botic and Wanderers’ Nicolas Milanovic.

Depending on the result of Saturday’s game between Sydney and Auckland, United could move to within two points of first place with a win over the Wanderers, who will also aid their hopes of a top-two finish with a home victory.

Originally published as Sydney FC cops raw schedule deal in Champions League push