From Butcher's Defensive Wall A Ray Of Hope Emerges For Sydney

Sydney Morning Herald

Saturday October 28, 2006

Aaron Timms

IT'S the dead chestnut lying in the path of any team having trouble finding its way to victory. All week we've been told - by players, administrators and coach - that Sydney FC can turn the corner. But with virtually the same playing roster as last week, what can the team do differently to ensure that happens when they play Perth tomorrow? What can they do to haul themselves clear of the rut?

Yesterday, captain Mark Rudan - admirably good-humoured in spite of the high-stakes nature of Sunday's match - faced the media pack to provide the answers.

First, they cannot talk to the media too much. Coach Terry Butcher placed a media ban on his players on Thursday, and while it proved to be spectacularly unsuccessful, the man himself has stuck to his guns (their silencers firmly attached, presumably). But even though Butcher has been uncharacteristically reluctant to speak over the past two days, Rudan was adamant that his coach's spirits remained high. "Today [Butcher] looked fine," Rudan said. "He was cracking jokes, he was OK. He's keeping the boys relaxed."

Second, the players can get angry. "We weren't very happy about [last week]," Rudan said. "We don't like the position we're in. We want to be a lot higher up. We, as players, have to turn things around. We want to turn this season around, starting from Sunday - simple as that."

Third, they can call on the instinct to self-preservation. "We've got players in this team that are fighting for contracts next year. Half or three-quarters of the team are out of contract, so [those players] know the position they're in, as well. So it's up to us as a team - and I stress as a team - to get ourselves back on track."

Fourth, they can call on the fans to stand up for them tomorrow at Aussie Stadium. "This is our fortress," Rudan said. "I urge the fans to come out and support us as well, because they will be needed on Sunday."

Fifth, they can rush a key wide midfielder back into the squad ahead of time. As reported yesterday, Robbie Middleby will make his return to match action this weekend for the first time since breaking his collarbone in the round-two loss to Melbourne. Steve Corica, however, looks almost certain to miss the match after straining a hamstring last weekend. Mark Milligan will also be absent.

Sixth, they can start with both of their strikers. The absence of Corica and Milligan means Butcher will probably have to rejig his formation. Yesterday, the team trained with Sasho Petrovski and David Zdrilic playing off each other up front. Both have struggled for form this season, but enjoyed some of their best football in the first half of the third-round draw against Newcastle, when they were paired up front.

Seventh, they can pray. Yesterday, Rudan's comments were studded with expressions of hope: "Hopefully the fans will see a win", "We're all hoping the goals will come", and so on. After watching so many of the forecast goal storms in previous weeks fail to materialise, the players are understandably reluctant to talk things up too much before tomorrow.

Finally, they can introduce witch's hats for all their set pieces. Yesterday, the team rounded off its training session with a bizarre procession of place kicks from outside the penalty area. Judging by the string of wild row Z-seeking missiles, the players do not appear to have taken to the exercise.

For Sydney, it seems victory is only a silent coach, anger-management course, an hour's prayer and a witch's hat away. Give them points for originality.

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