Sydney FC did the double last season but can they do it again?
As defending champions, Sydney FC know they will have to lift their game to even bigger heights than last season. All the competing squads have strengthened so Sydney will have to reach their full potential if they are to repeat last campaign-s successes.
In contrast to their first season where they were an average outfit, the second season could barely have gone better. Finishing top of the table and losing only one game in the process, they marched into the finals as favourites. After brushing Canberra aside in the semis, they went onto defeat Brisbane Roar 3-2 to ensure they took the double.
This time round there have been a number of changes in personnel but despite these changes, the core of the squad still remains and so they enter the season with high hopes. The club will at least want to make the play-offs and also be challenging for the title at the business end of the competition.
Sydney are also focusing on strengthening their grip for years to come and bringing in some of the games most outstanding new talents is high on their list of priorities.
This is proven by the signing of 15-year-old defender Caitlin Foord.
The youngest player in last season-s under 18 Australian tour of China and England, Foord has been called a “wonderkid” in the local media in her native Illawarra. Big things are expected of her in the future and hopefully she-ll show some of her potential this season.
The more seasoned campaigners include several of the Westfield Matildas stars who brought home the AFC Asian Cup earlier in the year, such as Garriock, Simon, Uzunlar, Khamis and Allen to mention a few. The quality of this squad really is unrivalled in this competition.
Heather Garriock also brings experience from playing in the Denmark women-s league for Fortuna Hjorring and this will only add to the team-s dynamic as she brings another angle to their play. Leena Khamis will also be looking to go one better than last season in the golden boot award where she finished second, being about the only thing Sydney didn-t win last season.
Aside from Sydney-s impressive forwards, they do have a solid base from which to build. In defence Teigen Allen brings strength and dependability to a back-line that will stand strong to any attack in the league. In the midfield Servet Uzunlar is another Westfield Matilda who will ensure that there-s cohesion between the back-line and the forwards.
Sydney have a formidable squad with stars of the game all over the field. The amount of Westfield Matildas in the squad alone, suggests how difficult they are going to be to play against this season. They should almost certainly be there or there abouts at the end of the season and are strong favourites to do the double again.
Sydney FC Squad
Westfield W-League Season Three
Teigen Allen, Nicola Bolger, Danielle Brogan, Catherine Canulli, Alesha Clifford, Caitlin Foord,
Heather Garriock, Erin Herd, Alanna Kennedy, Leena Khamis, Kylie Ledbrook, Linda O’Neill,
Teresa Polias, Dimi Poulos, Renee Rollason, Kyah Simon, Servet Uzunlar, Lydia Vandenbergh
CONFIRMED ARRIVALS:
Dimi POULOS (gk) (Australian via USA/Spain), Teresa POLIAS (from Central Coast Mariners), Renee ROLLASON (from Central Coast Mariners), Caitlin FOORD, Lydia VANDENBERGH (from Central Coast Mariners), Erin HERD
CONFIRMED DEPARTURES:
Nikola Dieter, Carla Montforte, Lisa Gilbert, Catherin Paaske, Julie Rydahl, Brittany Whitfield, Michelle Carney
Sydney FC Fixtures
November:
Sat 6, 2:00 PM
Brisbane Roar
Ballymore Stadium, Brisbane
Sat 13, 7:00 PM
Melbourne Victory
Latrobe City Stadium, Morwell
Sat 20, 3:00 PM
Adelaide United
WIN Stadium, Wollongong
Sat 27, 3:00 PM
Newcastle Jets
Campbelltown Stadium, Campbelltown
December:
Sat 11, 3:00 PM
Perth Glory
WIN Stadium, Wollongong
Sat 18, 2:30 PM
Adelaide United
Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide
January:
Sat 1, 3:00 PM
Brisbane Roar
Campbelltown Stadium, Campbelltown
Sun 9, 5:00 PM
Perth Glory
6PR Stadium, Perth
Sat 22, 5:00 PM
Canberra United
Seymour Shaw Park, Miranda
Sat 29, 3:00 PM
Newcastle Jets W-League
Wanderers Oval, Newcastle
