Sydney FC Head Coach Steve Corica isn’t fazed by the absence of the suspended Alex Baumjohann, insisting his ready-made replacement in Anthony Caceres will fit in seamlessly on Friday night.
Caceres will revert to his familiar number 10 role for the clash, with the Sky Blues’ Head Coach praising his ladder leaders but willing them not to rest on their laurels with over half the season played.
“The natural [replacement for Alex Baumjohann] is Caceres, he’s always stepped in and done a fantastic job,” Corica said.
“We’ve played him in a couple of different positions throughout the year but he loves playing as a 10 and he’s a very exciting player to watch. He’s very creative and he’ll slot straight in.
“You’ve got to really focus on every game because every game is different and anyone can beat anyone in this league,” he continued.
“You have to prepare right for every game, we’re pleased with where we are at the moment and we want to move forward.
“We’re 10 points clear at the moment but we don’t want to stop at that, we want to keep going and keep winning. That’s the aim and that’s what we’ll focus on for the rest of the season.
“They’re hungry for success and for more wins.”
Robbie Fowler’s Brisbane Roar arrive at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium a different team from the one that was thrashed 5-1 in the two club’s last encounter, and Corica said his squad would have to wary of a resurgent Roar as the Finals Series fast approaches.
“I think they’ve been playing well, they’re starting to get the results now,” Corica said.
“They’re unbeaten in five, winning three with two draws, so I think they’ll be coming here a lot more confident than last time.
“We obviously need to respect them, we know what they’re about and we need to stop them from going that one step more with another win.
“They’re playing some good football, they keep a lot of possession.
“Early on in the season they weren’t getting the results they maybe deserved. Now they’re starting to pick up the wins.
“They’re a good team, they’re climbing up the table as well just outside the six and I’m sure they want to continue working their way up so we have to be ready for them.”
Sydney FC face the Brisbane Roar at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium on Friday night following an exciting Foxtel Y-League Grand Final at 4:30pm AEDT. Grab your tickets and be there for a thrilling evening of action.
