Sydney FC head coach Steve Corica expects a surprise visit from legendary football manager Sir Alex Ferguson to spur Macarthur FC on in Saturday night’s intra-city clash in the Isuzu UTE A-League.
The longest-serving manager in Manchester United history, Ferguson popped into Bulls training on Thursday to catch up with Macarthur’s new coach and Red Devils great Dwight Yorke.
Yorke played under Ferguson at United between 1998 and 2002 and in his first season was a member of the club’s famous FA Cup, Premier League and UEFA Champions League treble-winning teams.
BUY TICKETS TO MACARTHUR V SYDNEY
Ferguson watched the Bulls train at their Campbelltown base before posing for photos with the players and fielding questions.
“I was stunned and shocked,” defender Ivan Vujica said of Ferguson’s visit on SEN.
“One hundred per cent this is the most influential figure I have seen inside and outside of football.
“He is one of, if not the greatest manager that football has ever had.”
Corica said Ferguson’s influence would “definitely” have rubbed off on the undefeated Bulls ahead of their clash at Campbelltown Stadium on Saturday, which marks a reunion between former Sky Blues marquee Yorke and Sydney.
“I saw the photos myself, I thought that was fantastic,” Corica said.
“What a great manager he was. ‘Yorky’ played under him so he knows exactly how good he was.
“It’s great to have him in Australia. Maybe he might be at the game on Saturday night.”
The Sky Blues enter the match without striker Adam Le Fondre, who injured his hamstring early in Sunday’s draw with Adelaide United.
Corica expects the Englishman to miss two games and is likely to replace him with Patrick Wood.
Wood scored a goal after replacing Le Fondre in Sydney’s last start but may have some competition from striker Jaiden Kucharski.
NEDS WEEKEND PREVIEW: YORKE’S REUNION, NANI V AUSTIN’S MARQUEE BATTLE
“‘Woody’ did a really good job,” Corica said. “We’ve got him, we’ve got Kucharski. He might get an opportunity at some stage as well.
“Adam will probably be a couple of weeks. He’ll be back for the Wanderers game (on November 12), we’re hoping.”
The Sky Blues have conceded six goals to Macarthur’s one across the first three games of the season, owing partly to injuries to backs Jack Rodwell and Alex Wilkinson.
Corica said defence had been a point of focus at training this week.
“We just want to tighten up the back line a little bit,” he said.
“(Macarthur) have a lot of dangerous players in attack and they’re defending well as a unit.”
“It’s going to be a good challenge for us at their ground.”
