Sydney FC head coach Ufuk Talay revealed he addressed his players and said they need to “look in the mirror” amid their form slump in the Isuzu UTE A-League.
Sydney find themselves a point outside the top six in seventh spot after Michael Ruhs stunned the hosts with three minutes of regulation remaining at Allianz Stadium, where Talay’s side twice rallied to equalise.
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It has been an inconsistent season for title hopefuls Sydney, who have won three and lost four of their seven matches in the league this season and afterwards, Talay vented his frustration.
“I addressed the boys because I think something we really need to do is look in the mirror,” he told reporters in a press conference.
“Because I believe some players are underperforming at the moment and not playing at the level they should be playing at.
“Also dealing with crosses, we don’t deal with crosses in the box. We have players and enough numbers around the ball, and we don’t deal with the first phase and the second phase.”
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Talay added: “I have a certain expectation of certain players in the team and that’s why we pick the team. We have certain belief.
“Sometimes we try to play players into form but the players I have the expectation to deliver a certain product are underperforming at the moment.”
Asked who he wanted to stand tall in a team boasting the likes of former Bayern Munich, Juventus and Brazil superstar Douglas Costa, Socceroos midfielder Anthony Caceres, ex-Nottingham Forest winger Joe Lolley, Patryk Klimala formerly of Celtic and Moroccan recruit Anas Ouahim, Talay replied: “All my players.
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“All my players I put on and give the jerseys to. Don’t give them the jersey because I think they look pretty in the jersey. I give them the jersey because I believe they’re going to win us the game.
“If they’re happy to hand the jersey back to me and I give it to someone else, I have no issue with that too.”
Sydney, who are through to the AFC Champions League Two Round of 16, are next in action away to high-flying unbeaten rivals Adelaide United at Coopers Stadium on December 20.
“The way I look at it now – if personnel A can’t do it, personnel B will come in and do it,” Talay continued.
“The reality is we’ve worked tirelessly to get to this point and we want to play a certain brand of football. If personnel A can’t do it, personnel B will step in and hopefully do it.”
