Sydney FC forward Adam Le Fondre says his side are “well-equipped” to handle the absence of Andrew Redmayne, Ryan McGowan and Rhyan Grant, ahead of the trio’s imminent departure to join Graham Arnold’s Socceroos squad.
Speaking to FOX Sports after his side’s 4-1 annihilation of Adelaide United at Coopers Stadium on Saturday night, Le Fondre exuded confidence when assessing how his side would manage throughout the 2020/21 Finals Series without three of their five starters in both defence and in goal.
The Sky Blues sit second with one game to play, four points behind Premiers Melbourne City who lose a key trio of their own for Socceroos duty: Jamie Maclaren, Connor Metcalfe and Curtis Good.
Le Fondre says the reigning Champions are less concerned with what they’re losing and more focussed on what could be gained from the players waiting in line for their turn in the starting 11.
“I think we’ve got really good depth,” Le Fondre said after netting a brace in his side’s 4-1 win over the Reds.
“I think if you look at our bench, (Ben) Warland and (Harry) Van der Saag, Paulo Retre can fit in as well.
“We’ve got great depth there so I don’t think we’re worried about what we lose.
“Obviously they are big players for us, but we’re well equipped for that.”
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“I think it’s massive,” Le Fondre added when assessing his side’s 4-1 win over Adelaide.
I think it’s a really big marker for us to put down.
“The performance we (had), I thought we were outstanding from the first minute to the 90th.
“We’ve managed to rest a few of us which was nice, so the younger boys got a great run out too.”
Two of the players mentioned by Le Fondre offering defensive reinforcement – Warland and Van der Saag – were given 15 minutes apiece by Sydney boss Steve Corica against the Reds, coming on as a double substitution with their side up 4-0 at Coopers Stadium, while Retre enjoyed a 20-minute runout replacing Luke Brattan in the second half.
It was a mini-rehearsal of sorts for the Sky Blues as Corica prepares his team for what’s to come, giving the experienced Alex Wilkinson an opportunity to play alongside some of the players which may be used to plug the gaps left in the outfield by Grant and McGowan.
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Grant – who scored Sydney’s only goal in a 1-0 Grand Final win over Melbourne City in 2019/20 – says it’s a weird feeling to depart the Sky Blues with one game to go in the regular season.
The Socceroos are preparing to play four FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™️ qualifiers in Kuwait in June, carrying on their bid to qualify for the tournament.
“It’s a strange one, isn’t it?” Grant said.
“We’re on a good roll now heading into finals, it would have been nice to be a part of it and try and make history with the club and win three in a row.
“But when the national team comes calling you always look forward to that, you never turn down the Aussie team.
“I’m just stoked to be apart of it, it’s been a long time – over 18 months I think – since the last (Socceroos) game, so it’s always awesome to go into camp, see the boys and represent your country so hopefully I can wear that jersey again and do the country proud.”
Grant believes his club side are now well-poised to clinch second spot as he departs for the Middle East. But in a season of ups, downs, highs and lows, he says it’s impossible to predict whether or not second spot – which Sydney possess with a five-point cap over Central Coast Mariners – will remain in Sydney’s possession until the end of the regular season.
“You never know with the league this season, there’s been a few swaps and changes throughout the year,” Grant said.
“I think that puts us in a pretty good place now going into the last game, you can’t rule anything out but like I said it puts us in good stead.”
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Next Matches
Adelaide United v Western Sydney Wanderers
Thursday, June 3 2021
Coopers Stadium
Kick-off: 7.35pm AEST
Match Centre
Brisbane Roar v Sydney FC
Saturday, June 5 2021
Moreton Daily Stadium
Kick-off: 3.05pm AEST
Match Centre
