Embattled Sydney FC coach Vitezslav Lavicka insists he is still the man to take the club forward and bring them out of their current woes despite slumping to another defeat at the hands of the Melbourne Heart on Thursday night.
The lacklustre 1-0 defeat – courtesy of Adrian Zahra’s 85th minute strike – has sent the Sky Blues to the bottom of the Hyundai A-League ladder and extinguishes any hope of a late season push for the finals.
After guiding the club to a stunning double championship success last season, it’s been a massive fall from grace for Lavicka as Sydney try to avoid going from champs to chumps and picking up the wooden spoon.
The Czech coach, who is off-contract at the end of the season, is currently in negotiations with the club on a new deal with a decision likely in January as the Sky Blues must also start to prepare for the Asian Champions League which starts in March.
“We need many things to improve but I still believe that I can (do it),” Lavicka said when asked if he was the man to take the club forward.
“That’s football sometimes, it’s difficult.”
“Some seasons you can reach great success and next season is more difficult….that’s football, that’s life.”
“I’m enjoying my job here. It doesn-t matter if we got the double last season or we’re having trouble this season.”
“I’m enjoying it because I have nice people around me, professional people, players, staff…and I like also the Sydney FC fans to be a part of them.”
“We are staying here with my family, enjoying Sydney as a city. This season only we’re missing better results.”
To be fair, Sydney certainly deserved better than what they got against the Heart.
The home side dominated the majority of the match, particularly in the second half when Mark Bridge and Hiro Moriyasu were both denied by outstanding saves by Clint Bolton.
“It’s frustration for all of us but I have to say that we improved the team performance,” Lavicka said.
“We played pretty well, we created a couple of chances but the major problem for us this season is to score the goals.”
“We wanted to give a Christmas present to the Sydney FC fans, we wanted to pick up points and get a win but we didn-t.”
Sydney were hit with the ultimate sucker-punch just five minutes from the end when Gerald Sibon capitalised on a heavy tough by Sky Blues skipper Terry McFlynn, picking up possession in the middle of the park before releasing Adrian Zahra who finished neatly past Liam Reddy.
“I have to apologise to the boss and the players for an individual mistake on my behalf which has cost us a result,” McFlynn said.
“It was a bad lapse by me, very sloppy and they punished us.”
Asked if that was the end of the club’s finals chances, a defiant Lavicka said: “If it’s still a chance mathematically then we will fight until the last moment.”
“But without the points, without the victory, it’s only talk and nothing more. We can still do it.”
