A-League Team Guide: Sydney FC

Transfer Business

It’s been a relatively quiet pre-season for the inaugural champions given their usual propensity for grandiose targets and speculation, though it is understandable within the context of an image make-over and the arrival of a new manager.

Professionalism and stability appear to be the order of the day for the Sky Blues, who retain the vast majority of the squad that disappointed under John Kosmina last season, with some potentially key but not widely publicized additions having been made.

One of those is Slovakia international and former Sparta Prague midfielder Karol Kisel, the midfielder joining the club after a successful four year spell with the Czech giants.

Swiss international Stephen Keller meanwhile joins from De Graafschap and at 30 years old, brings a wealth of experience to the Sydney FC back-line and could prove to be a vital capture in succeeding the retired Tony Popovic.

South Korea international Byun Sung-Hwan is yet another veteran who joins the squad at the age of 29, whilst the main loses are Ian Fyfe to Adelaide United and Robbie Middleby to the North Queensland Fury.

Key Man

Alex Brosque was perhaps one of the few players who continued to provide a spark as Sydney FC’s season collapsed.

He has yet to live up to the reputation that he built for himself in the first A-League season with the then-Queensland Roar, moving to Sydney and initially failing to recapture the sort of goal-scoring form that he had displayed towards the end of that inaugural campaign.

A constant in the Sydney line-up, he has not always been given his chance up-front though, often utilized as a wide man in a front three or even as a left-midfielder and it is perhaps for this reason that he his goal-scoring return has been modest.

Having said that, he has been cultivated into something a provider in recent times and possess tidy technique and pace, which should alleviate the pressure off the ageing legs of attacking partner Steve Corica this season.

If there ever was a season for Brosque to indefinitely lead the line for his club, this would be it.

Coach

Vitezslav Lavicka might not have managed a competitive game for the club yet but ever since his arrival in Australia there doesn’t appear to have been a negative word written about the veteran Czech coach.

He brings with him a considerable amount of experience, having managed the Czech Republic U21 National Team and most recently Sparta Prague and his demeanour since arriving has suggested that he will go about his business with all the professionalism expected of an Eastern European tactician.

Indeed, that was the word that underpinned his first press conference as Sydney FC manager, citing the establishment of discipline both on and off the pitch as the foundation upon which he would build his new side.

Importantly though the former Sparta Prague boss has recognized the context of his new work, with a particularly fickle Sydney fan base needing a balance of results and entertainment in order to generate interest and it is here where Lavicka will find his greatest challenge.

He arrives though as part of a revolution at the club that has seen the abandonment of notions of ‘glitz and glamour’ that have surrounded its establishment and inaugural championship victory; Lavicka represents a move toward stability, humility and hard work as the Sky Blues look to reconnect with the Sydney public.

Tactics

Likely a fluid 4-2-3-1 formation and an attempt to play a shorter passing game. There were questions when Lavicka initially arrived as to his reputation for having had the Czech youth side play defensive football but those have been quashed by the manager himself, who has championed an element of style to his team’s play as he looks to entertain fans this season.

One would expect the club’s marquee signing John Aloisi to be at the centre of the club’s attack, with new signing Stephen Keller leading the defensive line and Steve Corica providing impetus in midfield.

Sydney have the technical quality to play an attractive passing game if they get their system and fitness right, which has made this pre-season all the more important – and it has gone rather well for Lavicka’s men, who have come through undefeated and largely unscathed.

Prediction – 3rd

The Czech coach appears to have found the right mix of players and tactics and this could be a very good year for Sydney FC.

Assuming the key players remain free of injury, there’s no reason why they can’t mount a title challenge given their blend of experience and youth – despite not being anywhere near their best last season they were competitive and pushing for a finals spot till the end.

Might not have the star quality or raw pace that Melbourne and Brisbane do in key areas, so an actual Championship might be difficult to come by but Lavicka’s immense experience should assure that they are mixing it with the best by the end of the season.

Will be very well drilled tactically and difficult to beat.

Chris Paraskevas, Goal.com

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