Chianese revels in roving role

Four goals in seven starting games have Sydney FC fans raving about the abilities of 22-year-old Joel Chianese – and why not?

Four goals in seven starting games have Sydney FC fans raving about the abilities of 22-year-old Joel Chianese – and why not?

The speedy marksman has brought his own energy and drive to a team that appeared to be lacking just that midway through the season.

Since then, their turnaround in form has coincided with Chianese-s own upward spiral, his career beginning to blossom along with Sydney FC-s season, but according to this level-headed youngster it-s just a coincidence nothing more, despite the lavish praise he has received.

“Obviously there is a lot of talk, but you don-t like to think just because you have come into the team, all of a sudden the team has changed results, it-s just a coincidence,” a modest Chianese said.

“I-ve just gone out there and done my job. Done what I-ve been told to do and really enjoyed my time.

“I think as I have become more confident playing with the players around me they have become more confident in me and my performance has gotten better each week.

“I-ve probably had a lot more chances to put more goals away, which might be a bit of inexperience but hopefully I can put a few more in

“I-ve gained a lot of experience playing at the professional level and the step up from youth league is huge – you-re playing against men who have a lot of experience, if you don-t step up you-re going to be back on the bench.”

It seems unlikely though that the slightly built striker will be heading back to Vitezslav Lavicka-s bench anytime soon, especially with his partnership with Bruno Cazarine continuing to improve.

And it-s a partnership Chianese is enjoying, revealing that he is revelling in the role of serial pest to defenders, while Cazarine puts in the hard slog dealing with the often physical side of being a striker in a league dominated by strong-bodied defenders.

“Most defenders are more physical than me, I-m not much of a target man, that-s why we have Bruno there, to do the hard work,” Chianese mused.

“I just run around giving a bit of strife, getting in behind as much as I can to open up space for our midfield, I-ve been told to make a lot of forward runs whenever I can and the boys will get the ball to me.

“If I have to though, I-ll do my best to hold the ball up and hopefully win a free-kick.”

Sydney-s run to the finals has been fraught with danger; they were under pressure a long way out and like a determined racehorse have kept pushing towards the finish line. A finish line that Chianese earlier this week commented could be a winning grand final.

So does he still think a grand final is on the cards?

“To win the comp from fifth, I don-t think it-s been done so it would be great to do it and I don-t see why we can-t.

“The job is clear we go out there and give 100 per cent. The last few weeks we have really been playing better football, the whole team seems to be pretty confident, which will make it easier.”

If Sydney are to do that they will first have to get over a tough trip to Wellington, who are sure to have a parochial crowd in place at Westpac Stadium, not that it bothers Chianese.

“I-m expecting a big crowd so we need to silence them as soon as we can, an early goal would be fantastic.”