Sydney FC Manager Frank Farina is enjoying life on the up with his Club, as it sit in third spot on the A-League ladder.
The former Socceroos Manager has guided his side to four wins in its last five starts, proving implementation of team and Club Dynamics and sticking to them as a united group has positive effects on the field.
Former Socceroo and Fox Sports Football Analyst, Robbie Slater, shared his thoughts on the Club prior to this weekend’s 2-1 win over Melbourne Heart in his column in the Sunday Telegraph.
Check out the story below courtesy of the Daily Telegraph website.
There are some moments that define a season, and there are some that are even bigger than that – they end up defining your entire club.
Too often, Sydney FC have chased a magic bullet when things have gone wrong. They sign a new marquee player, sack a coach or ship out a load of players.
Extreme makeovers might be great for reality television but they are a sign of panic in the world of sport.
Thankfully, there are signs the Sky Blues are growing as a football club.
Before the Melbourne Victory game last month, rumours were spreading like wildfire that Frank Farina would be sacked if Sydney lost.
When they went down to 10 men, many had poor Frank on the gallows.
Then came the moment that changed everything: Sydney stood up and fought. They won that game 3-2 and the entire culture of the club changed.
The record winning streak might have ended last weekend against the Central Coast, but there was no shame in a 1-0 loss to the champions.
It’s a very different Sydney that will be looking to rebound today when they host Melbourne Heart.
Dusting yourself after adversity is another sign of character, which is why the game at Allianz Stadium is another challenge.
Farina is a terrific coach. Above all else, he’s a team builder and now he has the chance to really put his mark on the club.
Of all the teams at the pointy end of the ladder, Sydney have real potential to kick on.
They have achieved their success this season without a significant contribution from Alessandro Del Piero. His injuries now could be an early Christmas present because the little wizard might just be fresh at the business end of the season.
Last season, he had to put the team on his back and almost carry them to the finals. It all proved too much and they missed out. With wins in the bank now, ADP can be the wildcard in the matches where he is need most.
Knowing they can win without him doesn’t hurt, either.
The arrival of Nikola Petkovic has certainly made the defence much more resilient. No longer are they unravelling to the point where they concede six or seven goals a game.
One of the truisms of football is you build from the ground up. A stable, tight back four will always give you a chance.
Ranko Despotovic has also proved a nice pick up. He’s physical, combative, rugged – almost an old-fashioned centre forward. He has scored key goals and become an instant cult hero. It will be interesting to see how he works with Del Piero in the back half of the season.
The future of Sydney FC, though, lies in the likes of Joel Chianese and Terry Antonis. It’s about building on everything that Del Piero has given them over the past two seasons. It’s about understanding that behind the marquee men and big-city bling, there must be something more. Strength of character and spirit are top of the list of intangibles.
Sydney’s revival has been one of the big stories of the season. Yet, we are only at the halfway point of a marathon and trophies are not handed out in December.
But if a certain Italian maestro catches fire, who knows? The A-League might have the ultimate fairytale of Del Piero hoisting silverware in what could be his final A-League season.
That would be something.
This story originally appeared on the Daily Telegraph website, titled ‘Sydney FC’s commitment to Frank Farina shows the Sky Blues are finally maturing’ on 14 December, 2013.
