Archives for August 2018
Consistent Whiteside Ready For Final Series
Sydney Olympic centre-back Tom Whiteside has revealed consistency has been the secret behind his incredible breakout season and insists he can be the the best defender in the National Premier Leagues NSW.
It has been a breakout season for Whiteside who has become one of the rising stars of the competition, marshaling the best defence in the league as Olympic went on to win the Premiership in dramatic fashion.
The 23-year-old even had a moment of international notoriety this season with footage of his unbelievable ‘Scorpion’ goal from his side’s 5-1 demolition of Wollongong Wolves in round 10 going viral around the world.
For Whiteside, this year has been a chance to prove what he can really do after a rocky start to his time in the NPL NSW and he said it has all come down to one major factor.
“The biggest thing for me has been consistency,” he said.
““I came into a tough situation at Blacktown Spartans when I signed for them in 2016 and only last year I started to get it together playing my best football.
“This year I set out to really make the most of things and have really worked hard to be one of the first players picked on the team sheet each week.
“I have always felt I have the potential to be one of the best defenders in this competition but i just need to be able to show that over an extended period.
“I think it is just the little things i need to keep improving to help me reach that potential and hopefully go even further.”
Testament to Whiteside’s performances this season is that he has been the one constant in an ever changing Olympic backline after the midseason departure of George Timotheou.
“George (Timotheou) and I had a really good partnership this season but it’s important in football to be flexible and work well with everyone in your team in case, for whatever reason, something has to change,” Whiteside said.
“There has been a few little tweaks to my playing style to adjust to playing along side other defenders so we can get the best out of our individual strengths.
No matter who lines up next to me on game day I’m confident not only in my ability but that of my team-mates to get a job done.”
It has been this team first mentality which Whiteside says has been a big reason behind Olympic’s success, especially after the shock resignation of their coach only one week out from the opening round.
“We are a really close knit group and everyone is willing to fight for each other.
“Because of this mentality and hunger for success, it didn’t really matter that we had to adjust to a new coach so close to the start of the season.
“There has been an incredible atmosphere around the squad this year and we are determined to see how far we can go.”
There first challenge will be a fired up Sydney United 58 side fresh from an incredible upset win against APIA Leichhardt Tigers in last week’s preliminary semi-final.
“We are coming into this game full of confidence but at the end of the day it is a semi-final and anything can happen,” Whiteside said.
“Last week we saw the two favourites lost which was a stark reminder to us that we need to be on our game if we are to get the win.
“Sydney United are a very good team and will be coming to cause another upset.
“I think if we just replicate what we have been doing all season then we’ll be in with a good shot.”
Sydney United 58 Won’t Back Down
Sydney United 58 veteran midfielder believes the fighting spirit shown during his side’s backs against the wall finals win against APIA Leichhardt Tigers is why they should be the ones to watch this finals series.
Despite playing with 10-men for more than 75 minutes, The Reds held strong against a desperate and fast finishing Tigers team to secure an incredible preliminary semi-final win on penalties.
It was a win Stavroulakis called ‘one of the best he has ever been a part of’ and has been a major confidence booster for a side still coming to grips with the loss of star player Panny Nikas for the season with a serious knee injury.
With a potential grand final berth as little as one game away, the experienced star said United 58 is driven to make this season something they will never forget.
“Everyone in the club is buzzing and the players are feeding off that which has been really evident at training,” he said.
“The way we won the game against APIA proved that this side is in for a fight and we won’t back down.
“This team is such a great group of players and the camaraderie we have is one of our biggest strengths.
“We’ve had our struggles this season but every time we dig in and I think that makes us a very tough team to beat.”
The loss of Nikas, the attacking dynamo who has been the fulcrum of United 58’s attack for years, threatened to derail The Edensor Park outfit’s chances before they started.
However, Stavroulakis is adamant it will not hamper their chances and instead open the door for a young player to make their mark.
“You can’t replace Panny Nikas. What he brings to our side is like nothing else in the competition,” he said.
“But what his absence does do is give a guy like Tariq Maia the chance to take over games and play a bigger role.
“I have so much faith in the young players in this team and while it would be great to have Panny for the finals I’m confident we can be just as strong with whoever takes his role in the team.”
Sydney United 58’ s opponents this week will be rivals and newly crowned Premiers Sydney Olympic.
Olympic have had the better of United 58 twice already this season by Stavroulakis said form means nothing come finals time.
“I’m not too worried about our record against Olympic because this weekend the situation is very different to our last game against them,” he said.
“Abbas Saad (Sydney Olympic coach) has done a very good job since taking over and he has a team which is very dangerous with a great mix of youth and experience.
“It’s cliché but as long as we stick to our structure and play to our potential I’m confident we will be able to win the game.
“Both teams have brilliant players that will try to influence the game but at the end of the day I still think our determination and fighting spirit will give us the edge.”
Rockdale City’s Recipe For Finals Success
A new found defensive focus is set to be Rockdale City Suns recipe for success as they set out to be the National Premier Leagues NSW finals giant killers, according to club captain Daniel Petkovski.
Rockdale claimed a shock 2-0 win against Blacktown City in last week’s elimination final to set up a clash with league favourites APIA Leichhardt Tigers in week two of the play-offs.
Despite a horror start to the season, Rockdale turned it around after round twelve to sneak into the finals with a fifth place finish
Central defender Petkovski revealed his side felt they have paid the price for their attack at all costs mentality at times this season, and have looked to take a more conservative approach as they push for a grand final berth.
“Defensively we were very poor to start the season and I think collectively we just weren’t working hard enough when we didn’t have possession,” Petkovski said.
“Rockdale as a club has always been about playing attacking football no matter what. So much so that a narrow 1-0 victory didn’t mean as much as winning 5-4.
“We’ve really had to change our mindset over the back half of this season because we were struggling so much defensively.”
“The defensive players have been working with the attacking players to make sure we are all working as a unit and putting in as much effort when we don’t have the ball as we do when we are in possession.”
A clean sheet in last week’s elimination final win was an important part of Rockdale’s development, according to Petkovski.
And while The Suns have one of the more difficult paths to the grand final ahead of them due to their fifth place finish, the former Sydney FC youth player believes the fact they are underdogs puts them at a significant advantage.
“Outside of the goals we have set for ourselves, there is very little pressure on the team in this finals series,” he said.
“Rockdale isn’t just in the finals to make up the numbers but we also know that after the season we have had and the way we snuck into fifth spot that nobody expects us to be there on grand final day let alone win the title.
“This means we are free to play our own game and I think it played a big factor in the win against blacktown.”
Against APIA Rockdale will once again come into the game as underdogs, but Petkovski is confident the physical and emotional toll of their opponent’s finals and FFA Cup matches could prove to be a weakness.
“I was happy to see APIA’s incredible win against Melbourne Victory but it was a bit bittersweet for Rockdale as we know they will come into Saturday’s game with new found confidence,” he said.
“APIA has played a lot of high intensity football with the same players in a short space of time and they will need to back up again and try to maintain that same intensity against us.
“In saying all that our focus will be on our own game and making sure we can keep our championship aspirations alive with a good performance both in attack and in defence.”
Business As Usual For Leichhardt Boys
APIA Leichhardt Tiger’s incredible FFA Cup win against Melbourne victory has bouyed the Lambert Park based side and steeled them for a final push for the National Premier Leagues NSW Championship, according to veteran defender David D’Apuzzo.
APIA was the talk of Australian football circles earlier this week after their incredible victory against the reigning A-League title holders with the win boosting their confidence levels sky-high.
It was the perfect result for the Tigers after last week’s loss to Sydney United 58 where they were pipped by a ten-man Reds outfit after a penalty shootout.
Now they must get back down to business on Saturday night as they battle to keep their Championship hopes alive with a win at home against Rockdale City Suns.
“The FFA Cup win was an incredible moment for everyone in this team and the club,” he said.
“It has been a real booster for the team and just what we needed after two tough defeats.
“It goes to show that these players will step up for the big occasion and won’t give up when the going gets tough.
D’Apuzzo said he believes the FFA Cup win was proof of APIA’s fighting spirit which he claimed could be the difference in this weekend’s do-or-die finals clash.
“I’ve been involved in football a very long time and this group of guys are like none other I have played with,” he said.
“We have had our fair share of challenges throughout the season and everyone has dug in to help the team win.
“That sort of mentality is what has helped us get to this point and I’m confident no matter what Rockdale throw at us we will be able to hold strong.
Despite Rockdale’s rocky road to the finals, D’Apuzzo doesn’t believe their opponents are underdogs.
“Rockdale are a very good team with dangerous players all across the park,” he said.
“They showed last week in their win against Blacktown what they are capable of.
“It’s been a tough week for us in terms of playing three big games in only eight days but I think as long as we remain focused we are in with a really good chance of getting the win.”