Hear from Sydney FC’s Vitezslav Lavicka and Kofi Danning and the Fury’s Franz Straka and Ufuk Talay ahead of Saturday night’s clash.
North Queensland Fury coach Franz Straka:
“It was very important to us to get a result in Perth. It was a fantastic presentation for our club. Don-t forget we are a new team; we have a new coach and have a new structure and we want to do the best.”
“I hope everyone comes on Saturday night to watch our team play.
“It is something special you know. Two Czech coaches. Czech mate. It is amazing.
“We sit together here; we played for a long time together at Sparta Prague. He is my opponent now. It is really funny but hopefully tomorrow will be a good game. Sydney is the champions. They are a very good team and will be a hard opponent.
“I hope we do well. Our opponents have excellent players. I am so happy about our last game. We showed heart. If we want to win tomorrow we have to play the same. Play with heart, fighting, don-t give in and believing.
“When I speak with Vitja we both have one thing and that is teamwork. No one player is just important for the team. Everyone is important for the team.
“It is not question of one player. What happens when you have to use player 19, 20, 21?”
Fury captain and former Sydney FC player Ufuk Talay:
“I feel good. I feel fit. I will put my hand up to lay but it is the coaches- decision. As a player you like to be on field as that is where you earn your money so I will be disappointed if I miss out but it is a team game so I just want the boys to do well.”
“It is our first game at home and we want to go out there and impress the crowd and it is going to be a tough one with an opponent such as Sydney FC but we are going to go out there and do our best.
“People move on in football. It is always good to play against teams you have played for before. It will be a special game for us boys who have played for Sydney before.
“Everyone respects the coach so we want to give him a present.”
Sydney FC coach Vitezslav Lavicka:
“It feels like yesterday when we were here last season. Time passes very quickly. I have to say we reached great success last season but that is history now. New season is here and we know on Saturday we will have a tough game.”
“Franz is good friend of mine and former teammate of mine in Sparta Prague. Now we are opponents. We know that Fury formed and built up a new quality team and that showed in Perth but I trust our squad and that we will play well and get a good result.
“We are friends but we are opponents but no enemies.
“We have to improve. I believe we are able to play much more concentrated football this game.
“It is normal [teams aim up against the Champions]. We are ready to play. We are humble but we have a strong desire and clear intention to be successful again.”
Sky Blues striker Kofi Danning:
“I am looking forward to doing the things that Vitja has taught us to do. Going 100 percent; don-t give up and play with the ethics we train with every day. Team unity, team bonding, pride and just enjoy ourselves and be confident and I think I did that [this game last year].
“It was one of the best moments of my career. I haven-t scored too many A-league goals so when they come I get very excited. I just want the team to do well.
“As long as we play well and we do the things the coach wants us to do and we come away with the win it is all positive for us.
“We have got plenty of attacking options. I feel that we have a lot of players that could come in and do just as good job as any other and I think Vitja feels the same way.
“The injury helped me a great deal. No one wants to get injured but I learnt a lot when I was injured. You get to see the game the game from another side and I think I needed that. Mentally I feel a lot stronger and I feel like a different player.
“Of course I want to see plenty of goals. More goals for us though.”
