Western Sydney midfielder Jorrit Hendrix says it’s time for he and his teammates to show what they’re made of ahead of this weekend’s Sydney Derby.
The Wanderers head into the blockbuster clash at CommBank Stadium sat 5th on the ladder, one point ahead of their arch rivals Sydney FC.
Marko Rudan’s side have run hot and cold so far in 2024, losing four, winning three and drawing one of their eight games so far this year, with suspensions to key players playing a major part in their inconsistency.
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“I don’t want to make it as an excuse,” said Dutch midfielder Jorrit Hendrix, who himself returned from suspension for last week’s 2-1 win over Adelaide.
“I don’t like excuses but what you say are facts. We had some suspensions, some injuries but still we have enough good players that can replace each other. That’s not like an excuse that can reflect on the inconsistencies we’ve had the last weeks.
“Maybe it plays parts but it’s not a direct excuse. Like ‘okay, we had suspensions, injuries that’s the reason we didn’t get the results we wanted’ – absolutely not.”
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One man who will return for the Wanderers is coach Marko Rudan, who has now completed a two-game suspension handed down to him by Football Australia following comments he made about referees.
“He was quite involved in those games,” said Hendrix when asked how much the team has missed Rudan. “He was not able to be on the bench during games but that didn’t change anything about the way we played or how we behaved.
“Physically he was not there but somehow he was there!”
Asked whether or not the coach’s return to the sidelines added more pressure to his teammates, Hendrix was steadfast in his belief that the real pressure comes from not wanting to lose to your biggest rivals.
“No, we’re professional football players and we can handle the pressure. We should handle the pressure and pressure is normal in football.
“I think both us and Sydney FC feel this pressure. It’s a game onto itself. Both of us want to win and be the big winner of the city.”
Meanwhile Sydney FC come into the game full of confidence having picked up three wins and three draws from their last six games and midfielder Anthony Caceres says the Sky Blues are much better equipped to get a result against the Wanderers now then they were earlier in the season.
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“I believe last time we played was Uffie’s (Ufuk Talay) second game in charge,” said Caceres. “I think we’ve come a long way since then.
“We’ve really grasped the philosophy that he’s brought to the club, bought into his way of playing and I think each week we’re showing improvement. So we’re much better prepared.”
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Sydney FC will be without captain Luke Brattan for the game at CommBank Stadium as he serves a one-game suspension however the good news is defender Jack Rodwell has recovered from a calf injury and has been named in the extended squad.
“Unfortunately he hasn’t been available but he’s a top class player,” said Caceres when discussing the return of Rodwell.
“He’s also the type of player that can come back from injury and be thrown into a game like this.
“He’s done a lot in his career and he’s more than well prepared for a fixture like this so it’s great to have him back.”
The last five league meetings between these two sides have been won by the away side on the day and that statistic is something Caceres says gives his side added belief they can come to CommBank Stadium and pick up another win.
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“Yeah I think it does,” said Caceres when asked whether last season’s 2-1 win in the Elimination Final gives the Sky Blues added belief. “But ultimately I think what gives us the most confidence is a belief in our system and the way we’re playing at the moment.
“I feel that every week we’re showing that we’re capable of dictating a game. We’ve got players capable of changing a game in an instance but our collective enthusiasm to really get a grasp on the game early on is what’s going to give us the best chance of winning.”
