Australia NewsBranko's Mastery Hasn't Faded |
If there was confusion between Japanese and English at the press conferences, FC last night showed they can speak the language of Asian Champions League football. And in Culina, they’ve a master tutor.
But let's put this result in perspective. The A-Leaguers were in disarray last month after a shambolic finals campaign and a fractious season. They have a small squad compared to their opponents who’ve paid out about ten times more on players. Financially, it’s chalk and cheese.What’s more, Sydney aren’t playing regular club football and must resort to playing “friendlies” against part-timers who “kick lumps out of my players” (Culina’s words) on dodgy pitches while the Reds currently play in Asia’s strongest competition, the J-League.
Yet on Wednesday night, Sydney FC gave Urawa Red Diamonds – a team rightly compared as the Manchester United of Asia - one huge fright. And all this with a homegrown Aussie supremo at the helm for just a month who in many pundits’ eyes is still on probation as a coach.
Culina’s Blues showed élan, poise and tactical assurance. Only a hammer blow fumble from the usually impeccable Clint Bolton got the Diamonds back into the game after injuries to Middleby and Zdrilic put a crimp in Culina’s tactics.
They used to call Branko Culina the little professor. And for good reason; he had a tactical awareness that set him apart allied with a Zen like calm and ability to get the best out of what he had.
Anyone who had the delicious pleasure of watching his Sydney United side of a decade ago would know this. And he was always well-prepared.
In the pre-match press conference on Tuesday, he rattled off every single player, in position and with likely substitutes. Urawa Reds coach Holger Osiek was much more vague. He named Carney and Zdrilic but he hadn't done his homework like his opposite number.
Culina said the day before he hoped that this game would illustrate where we are as a league. He said: “We hope to be able to show that despite being a young club playing in a young league like the A-League, that we can show that we are a quality. If we are behind the J-League we’re not far behind.” On Wednesday's evidence, he’s right.
And it’s not just knowing the opposition. Culina figured out his own squad within weeks. When Zadkovich came on as a substitute for the defensive Middleby, he was soon moved into an advanced role in place of Zdrilic to utilise his main strength: running at defenders. McFlynn resumed his role at the base of the diamond and Milligan reverted to a familiar right back role.
It certainly didn’t help FC’s cause to have these two injuries but the changes all made sense. And the 4-3-3 formation worked beautifully. With Brosque drifting wide onto a slower Reds defender, and Carney moving inside off the shoulder of central striker Zdrilic it caused havoc early.
Holger’s heroes were spellbound by this trio. And the class of Steve Corica (who coach Osieck singled out later for special mention) hasn't faded with time.
And neither has Culina's touch.
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