After beginning their campaign in style last week against Queensland, Sydney FC’s Young guns be the centre of attention this Saturday in Sutherland.
After beginning their campaign in style last Saturday as the curtain-raiser to Sydney FC-s Hyundai A-League meeting with Queensland, the Sky Blues- young brigade will be back in action this weekend, and this time they-ll be the centre of attention.
Following their come-from-behind win over the Roar, Sydney-s National Youth League team will now play host to Adelaide United at Sutherland-s Seymour Shaw Park, and Coach Steve O-Connor is confident his side can continue its winning start on Saturday.
“There are probably some areas defensively that we can try and work on and improve, but overall I was pretty happy,” said O-Connor of FC-s 2-1 victory. “If we keep creating chances and putting them away then we-ll definitely cause teams some problems.”
One of the main challenges this season for the former AIS football mentor will be melding together a team that changes every week.
“It-s a little unusual when you only get players in a day before or on the day of the game,” he said. “It-s more or less just putting things in place and trying to develop a style of play that hopefully the players, even the ones that come in late will start to pick up as the year goes on.”
With only 12 players signed to the Youth team, the side will be regularly bolstered by un-selected stars from the senior squad.
“There-ll always be probably 3 or 4 coming in from the seniors,” said O’Connor. “Most of them will work with John (Kosmina) for most of the week at training, and then they come in with me at the end, so I suppose John and I have to be on a similar wavelength in terms of what we-re trying to do out there.”
A number of first-teamers will take their place in the Youth team this week and former Sutherland Sharks- star, Brendan Gan will also make his first appearance for the Junior Sky Blues after missing the opening game through injury.
“I can-t wait to play my first game for Sydney FC, and to do it at my home ground is something I-m really looking forward to,” said the attacking midfielder.
Saturday-s match in Sutherland will be the first of five Youth League fixtures that will be taken to suburban grounds around Sydney as part of FC-s ongoing effort to engage the football community.
Entry to Seymour Shaw Park will be free of charge, with gates opening at 1:30pm and kick-off in the clash with Adelaide United at 2pm.
National Youth League
Round 3 – Sydney FC v Adelaide United
Saturday, October 11 2:00pm
Seymour Shaw Park
The Boulevarde
Miranda
