Most Sydney FC Members and fans would agree that the Finals Series are something a little out of the ordinary – they certainly have been this season!!
So we spoke to someone who has played in a few – 15 in fact – about what they mean to people and how he approached the games and the huge expectations!
Here are the thoughts of Sky Blues legend Alex Brosque…..
“Everyone approaches a Finals Series or a Finals game differently, I think.
Some players and coaches like to treat it like a normal game and visualize it as round 27 and 28 etc.
For me I liked to use the fact that if we lost it was season over as a motivation.
I feel like understanding the importance of the game and what it meant brought more out in me.
The expectation and knowledge that it was a do or die match was good for me and fired me up.
I didn’t change much off the field during the week. It’s still important to relax outside of football otherwise you get too tense and the pressure gets to you.
But it was on game day and in training that I liked to be fully aware of whatever we were playing for and what was at stake.
I enjoyed knowing it could be the end of the line.
Everyone lifts from the atmosphere whenever we play in big derbies or Finals matches and it’s easy to feed off the energy of the crowd.
These are the reasons why you do all the hard work in the pre-seasons and make all the sacrifices to play in those big games.
Experience is everything in these matches; I remember playing in 2010 when I was still young and very nervous at that stage.
I was looking at the likes of Steve Corica, John Aloisi and Simon Colosimo to see how they were handling it and taking confidence from them.
It can definitely get to young players and I think the young boys will look towards your Wilkos, Luke Brattans and Rhyan Grant of this world for inspiration and confidence.
Experience was what got them through the WSW derby last weekend and it’s incredibly important in these matches.
For me this week the pressure is on Melbourne City though.
They’ve dominated for the last three years and that comes with a lot of pressure.
They lost the Grand Final last year after dominating the season and that potentially will be on the minds of the players on Friday.
For our boys our experience will be incredibly important but also like last week there should be a nothing to lose attitude which takes a lot of pressure off them.
My prediction is 2-1 to Sydney FC.”
