Brisbane’s star recruit Shane Stefanutto says the Roar’s quest to make Suncorp Stadium a fortress begins this weekend when they return from the Round 2 bye to take on 2009/10 A-League Champions, Sydney FC.
Brisbane’s star recruit Shane Stefanutto says the Roar’s quest to make Suncorp Stadium a fortress begins this weekend when they return from the Round 2 bye to take on 2009/10 A-League Champions, Sydney FC.
Sydney have stumbled out of the gates this season and sit on just one competition point after a hard-fought 3-3 draw with Melbourne Victory and a shock loss to the North Queensland Fury.
The Roar aren’t looking to let up the pressure.
Despite losing seven games at home last season, the Roar are attacking 2010/11 with the confidence and energy of a new-look side, and the first order of business appears to be addressing their at-home reputation.
“(North Queensland) are talking about making their home ground a fortress and I hope that we can as well,” said former Socceroo Shane Stefanutto
“Of course the trip’s not as hard for Sydney up here, but we want to make Suncorp Stadium a fortress, and we want to win our home games, as simple as that.”
While Sydney will be coming into their third hard test, and second consecutive away game, Brisbane have played just once – an hour down the road on the Gold Coast – and have enjoyed a two-week preparation for the Sky Blues.
In a long season, a second-round bye sounds far from ideal, but the Roar have made the most of the early rest, and Stefanutto said the extra week had Brisbane primed for the occasion.
“The boys are looking good, we’ve had a good week of traninig.”
“It was nice to have that week off, of course we would have liked to keep playing, but it’s been great.”
“We’ve worked even harder this week, so I think the boys just can’t wait for this game.”
First-string goalkeeper Michael Theoklitos agreed: “We’ve had an opportunity to go back to the training field and train quite hard, we can’t wait to have our first home game against Sydney FC so we’re really excited and looking forward to Saturday night’s game.”
For Theoklitos, a former Melbourne Victory and Norwich City keeper , this will be a first taste of the rivalry between Brisbane and Sydney, but already the talented shot stopper is catching on to the occasion.
“It’s a big rivalry us and Sydney, so we’re really looking forward to the whole of Brisbane getting behind us and wearing orange, and making it as loud as possible and hopefully getting us over the line,” he said.
