Lisa De Vanna says Sydney FC have fostered her natural “flamboyance” this season as they prepare for a do-or-die semi final against Newcastle Jets on Saturday at Leichhardt Oval.
The talismanic striker joined the Sky Blues this season and has been a key part of the club’s rise following a slow start to the campaign.
Sydney FC are now nine games unbeaten with the momentum on their side against a Jets fresh from being humbled by Melbourne City last week in the final round of the Westfield W-League.
This is #WhyWePlay! Our @WLeague​ Semi-Final is only one sleep away!! Be at Leichhardt Oval tomorrow, 4:45pm, and back your Sky Blues – https://t.co/yEK1yexYGf #SydneyIsSkyBlue pic.twitter.com/38HAZeIVIm
— Sydney FC (@SydneyFC) February 9, 2018
And she revealed how the club got the best out of her this season while praising the approach of coach Ante Juric.
“It’s been one of my best seasons yet, considering I’m a bit older. The team culture and professionalism that Ante brings into the team is something that is very important,” De Vanna told the media on Friday.
“For me to express myself, and play the way I can and have the support from the team and club, has been amazing.
“He [Juric] knows me from the Matildas and he likes myself and Caitlin Foord to be a bit more flamboyant and unpredictable.
“He’s built a team that works around our style of play because we’re unpredictable. So it’s been great to have that freedom, though we still have our roles within the team.”
And like De Vanna, the Sky Blue women have gotten better and better as the season went on.
A tough pre-season and key personnel gelling at the business end of the season has the veteran hoping for a Sky Blue double this season.
“When I first came to Sydney FC, I had a good chat with Ante and he said we’ll start to build momentum when it comes to December,” De Vanna said.
“And he’s been right so far. So we’ll keep playing our game and the belief we have in the last nine games unbeaten.
“If we and the boys [their table-topping Hyundai A-League side] can do that, it could be the first time any team has won the double for men and women.”