Sydney FC defender Michael Beauchamp heads back to AAMI Park on Saturday insisting he has nothing to prove to those who deemed him surplus to needs at Melbourne Heart.
Sydney FC defender Michael Beauchamp heads back to AAMI Park on Saturday insisting he has nothing to prove to those who deemed him surplus to needs at Melbourne Heart.
A two-time World Cup player with the Socceroos, the 31-year-old centre back lasted just one season at Heart before asking for a release after being dumped from the starting side late in the campaign.
He was eagerly snapped up by the Sky Blues and has already proved a solid and reliable presence in the back four.
But he won’t be baited into unloading on his old club or former coach John van ‘t Schip ahead of his return despite being unimpressed with his treatment last season.
“I’ve got nothing to prove (to Heart),” Beauchamp declared before training on Thursday.
“I’m just going out there to do the same thing I do each week and that’s all I’m focusing on … to do well for the team and hopefully get a result out of it.”
Asked if he was surprised at the number of players Heart had churned through in their short history, a diplomatic Beauchamp replied: “That’s the coach’s and club’s decision to do that but I’m not worried about that side of things.”
“For me it’s about Sydney FC and focusing on what we’re doing.”
Sydney head to Melbourne protecting an undefeated away record, having drawn 0-0 with Victory in the season-opener before seeing off Adelaide United 2-1 last weekend.
“We seemed to be going away and playing well and that’s a good thing,” Beauchamp said.
“If we can get a result there and come back here and focus on the home games, it’ll be a great thing for us.”
Defender Jamie Coyne, who became a father just days after scoring Sydney’s first goal against Adelaide, added: “If you can start an away game well it takes the crowd out of it and hopefully you can get on top.”
Goalkeeper Liam Reddy and striker Mark Bridge return to the Sydney squad from injury and suspension respectively, but coach Vitezslav Lavicka is unlikely to tinker with his starting line-up after a last-start win.
Sydney FC players will wear multi-coloured bootlaces to support Zaidee’s Rainbow Foundation. Zaidee Turner was just seven she died after suffering a cerebral aneurism in 2004. Her organ and tissues were donated and the foundation was set-up to encourage people to become registered donors.
