Grand Final week is always special. There’s a feeling in the air tinged with excitement and everyone is counting down the hours until Sunday’s massive decider in Perth.
I’ve been here before, I’ve experienced all the anticipation and nervousness that Grand Final week brings, but this time I’m calm. I’m soaking it all up and I’m thoroughly looking forward to the game at Optus Stadium.
For a lot of us boys we’ve done this once or twice already, it’s almost second nature now and big games are forever a part of being a Sydney FC player. The older heads are going about their business at training as usual, and corralling the younger players to ensure they’re all switched on and fully focussed at the task at hand.
For the young boys there’s always a case of getting overwhelmed in it all and the extra attention being in a Grand Final brings, but at Sydney FC, at training, we’ve spoken together as a group and the mood at training is one of focus – we’re approaching this like any other game and nothing has changed at Sky Blue HQ.
I’m feeling fantastic following Sunday’s huge Semi-Final win, the foot is fine, and even if it wasn’t, how could you not be feeling awesome after thrashing Melbourne.
I was pleased with my goal, everything clicked for us and it was the game we’d been promising would happen for quite some time – it’s the perfect motivating factor for Sunday’s game and we’ll be using that to drive us home.
I was part of the last Sydney FC team to win a Grand Final away from home, against Melbourne in 2010.
The atmosphere was crazy, even though it was an away game for us it was something that we fed off, the crowd there at Etihad Stadium. It was a tense game as you’d expect a Final to be, it went to penalties and once it was over and we won I remember the feeling of going interstate and doing that.
We’d heard during the week how rare it was to do but we had all the confidence to be able to do it. It’s the same confidence we have here now, we don’t fear Perth, we know we can get the result.
I’m looking forward to seeing as much Sky Blue at Optus Stadium, if you can’t make it there make sure you head to our official live site at The Star, Sydney. We promise to do you proud and we’ll be leaving it all on the pitch to make sure we come home with that trophy.
#SydneyIsSkyBlue #ComeWithUs
Sydney FC Captain Alex Brosque
Hear from Captain Alex Brosque each week with his Captain’s Column.
