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The Sky Blues will rightfully start the new season as favourites to defend their crown, and I would imagine that the smart money, including my own, will be on them to do so.
The retention of championship double winning coach Vitezslav Lavicka was the starting point, and the addition of former Roar and Phoenix ‘keeper Liam Reddy proved a timely acquisition following the departure of stalwart Clint Bolton. Lavicka has said that he wishes to bring the National Youth League squad and the senior squad closer together, and will be hoping that Steve Corica being instated as NYL coach is the first step towards bridging that gap.
The big fish, however, is the arrival of Nick Carle, whom many in this country believe to be our only real ‘number 10’ playmaker. Last season saw Steve Corica call time on a fantastic football career and take the reins of FC’s National Youth League side, and if there were ever a readymade replacement for Sydney’s outgoing number 10, one would think that Carle fits the bill perfectly.
The departure of Karol Kisel is one that I feel needs to be monitored, as I was a big fan of his technical ability and attitude whilst in the A-League and was very surprised to see him let go so easily by the club.
The return to fitness of exciting youngster Kofi Danning will be reason for optimism for FC fans, and apparently former West Ham United and Perth Glory defender Hayden Foxe has continued to make steady progress towards being fit for a starting position in the 2010/11 season.
The worry for Sydney fans will be based around the fact that if you look at the spine of last season’s team, it reads: Bolton, Collosimo, Kisel and Corica. All of which will not be playing in sky blue this season. The additions of Reddy and Carle plugs two of those gaps on paper, and while it is a plus that the side is a few years younger in the legs, which could mark an improvement this season, there are still two holes in that spine that need to be filled, the shoes of Simon Colosimo being the biggest to fill.
Pre season will likely give a good indication as to how Sydney FC will fare this season. Normally the status quo is to not look too much into pre season form and results, however having just played out a 2-2 draw with a fast improving Central Coast Mariners side, Sydney will now turn their focus to the Sydney Festival of Football, which will see them get a workout against the likes of Blackburn Rovers, Glasgow Rangers and AEK Athens. Such high quality and regularity of pre season football should provide FC fans with an idea of what to expect, whilst also preparing the team for the A-League season ahead.
Will Sydney FC be the first team to defend their A-League title?
Let us know what you think, at info@thefootballsack.com
Major Ins and Outs for Sydney FC:
Ins:
Liam Reddy (Wellington Phoenix), Nick Carle (Crystal Palace), Scott Jamieson (Adelaide United), Terry Antonis (youth)
Outs:
Clint Bolton (Melbourne Heart), Simon Collosimo (Melbourne Heart), Karol Kisel (Slavia Prague), Steve Corica (retired) John Aloisi (Melbourne Heart)