New Sydney FC defender Alex Grant wary of being rushed into Sky Blues team

Sydney FCs defensive options have increased with the signing of an experienced centre-back and the emergence of a young talent.

New Sydney FC defender Alex Grant wants to ensure he’s at his best before making his Sky Blues debut despite the lure of playing in Saturday night’s derby against Western Sydney Wanderers.

Grant, 31, has signed with Sydney until the end of the season, with the former Perth Glory, Pohang Steelers (South Korea) and Tianjin Jinmen (China) centre-back being seen as the solution to the defensive woes that have plagued the Sky Blues.

However, after limited game time in China, Grant felt it was important he wasn’t rushed into Sydney’s starting team.

“I’ve got my eyes on (the derby) obviously, but … I’ve still go to get up to speed, and the players deserve (selection), the boys that are already here,” Grant said.

“I need to make sure that I’m 100 per cent before stepping over the white line, and to make sure they’re getting the best of me first and foremost.”

If Grant does start at Allianz Stadium, it would most likely be at the expense of 20-year-old A-League rookie Kyle Shaw, who made his competition debut in Sydney’s 4-1 weekend home win over Adelaide United.

Kyle Shaw made an impressive A-League debut for Sydney FC against Adelaide United. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

However, if given another opportunity on Saturday, Shaw will again not let anyone down in a derby he has dreamt of playing in since his childhood.

“I’m always confident in my ability,” Shaw said.

“Playing in that derby would be a dream come true. I’ve witnessed some derbies as a fan and it would just be incredible to experience that as a player.”

Shaw said he felt no nerves against Adelaide despite only finding out on the day of the match he would be starting in the heart of Sydney’s defence.

“That’s when it got a bit more serious, but I was ready for the call-up,” he said.

“It made it that much better than we got the win as well.”

Shaw was part of the Sydney academy as a teenager before being cut loose by the club.

He joined NPL club North West Sydney Spirit before eventually returning to the Sky Blues, where he continued to play NPL football.

“Having played senior football in the NPL, it did teach me a few things about what to expect from older opposition, but also playing next to (Sydney captain) Rhyan Grant really helped me out and made everything go a whole lot smoother,” Shaw said.

In further good news for the Sky Blues, defender Alex Popovic has signed a multiple-year deal with the club after spending the past five months at Sydney on loan from South Korean outfit Gwangju.

Originally published as New Sydney FC defender Alex Grant wary of being rushed into Sky Blues team