Littbarski wants positive football from players
Saturday, 27 August, 2005 - 8:38AM


Sydney FC and Qantas Socceroo attacking duo of David Zdrilic and Sasho PetrovskiSydney FC coach Pierre Littbarski has promised Sydney FC’s growing legion of fans he will be instructing his charges to attack and play positive football as the sun starts to poke its head over the horizon to herald the new dawn of Australian football.

The Hyundai A-League started last night with a double header as Adelaide defeated Newcastle 1-0 and the Central Coast toppled Perth Glory 1-0 but for Sydney FC the wait continues before Sunday’s opening round clash with Melbourne Victory at Aussie Stadium.

Littbarski will not name his starting side until tomorrow as he mulls over his multitude of options but the availability of striker David Zdrilic after injury and the return from international duty of fellow sharp shooters Sasho Petrovski and Dwight Yorke means a three-pronged attack may be the favoured option.

“We are going to play attacking soccer to make sure the fans are happy as we know they want us to play good soccer but we have to make sure we play winning soccer also,” Littbarski said. “We will attack because we have good power in attack but our defence has been very good.”

With Littbarski rock solid on playing with a flat back four in defence that leaves the German maestro tossing up the options in the forward portion of the field.

Yorke has been playing as a midfielder for his country in recent World Cup qualifiers and could slip back into the middle four to allow Socceroo strikers Petrovski and Zdrilic to go for broke up front. Alternatively they could adopt a 4-3-3 formation.

“We are lucky that we have so many options and we won’t pick the starting side until Sunday because I still have to think about a few things,” Littbarski said. “We have some very good attacking players and we also have Terry (McFlynn) who defends very well (in the midfield) so we can do some different things.”

One thing for sure is the options. Midfielders Ufuk Talay, Robbie Middleby, Steve Corica, McFlynn and David Carney all have genuine claims for a spot with one, maybe two, certain to start from the bench depending on Littbarski’s formation.

Defensively the former German World Cup winner has selected five players to fill the four positions with Matthew Bingley set to return from a calf injury and take his place in the squad, leaving Australian U20 captain Jacob Timpano desperately unlucky to miss out.

Alvin Ceccoli and Andrew Packer should take up the fullback roles with Iain Fyfe, Mark Rudan and Bingley seemingly fighting for two places in the heart of defence.

“Having (Matt) Bingley available is good for us because it means there are also some more options at the back but we also have another option with (Jacob) Timpano because he has done well in the pre season games,” Littbarski said.

Sydney FC squad: Clint Bolton, Iain Fyfe, Alvin Ceccoli, Mark Rudan ©, Ufuk Talay, Robbie Middleby, Matthew Bingley, David Zdrilic, Steve Corica, Sasho Petrovski, David Carney, Andrew Packer, Terry McFlynn, Dwight Yorke and Justin Pasfield (gk).

MATCH DETAILS

Hyundai A-League opening match
Sydney FC v Melbourne Victory
Aussie Stadium
Sunday August 28, 2005 (TOMORROW)
5pm kick off

Gates open at 3pm so if you haven’t pre-purchased a ticket get to Aussie Stadium early to avoid ticket queues.

HOW TO GET THERE:
Free bus travel from Central Station for those purchasing a CityRail Moore Park Link Ticket from any train station through the CityRail network or a 15 minute walk from central Station
Bus and Train information: 131500 or www.131500.com.au

TICKET INFORMATION
For cheaper Sydney FC tickets, pre purchase through Ticketek on 132 849, www.ticketek.com.au or at any Ticketek booking agency throughout Sydney.

Pre purchase tickets
Adults: $15 - $28
Concession: $10 - $20
Children: $5 - $15
Family (2 adults, 2 children): $35 - $75

source: a-league

How many people do u think will attend. this topic is to talk about the big clash. post your view on the score, team selection and anything else.

!!!!!!!!!GO SYDNEY!!!!!!!

They have pre-sold 11, 000 tickets ... selling at least 1, 000 a day ... think there may be up to 20, 000

I'll be there and I will take photos for you all

Am sad that Jacob Timpano didn't make the team ... I know the other guys are fit, but still.

SFC better win or I will think I am their jinx but the way games are going, the away team will win by one goal

lol!! thanx. i wish der was 20 000. that would be sooooooo mad!! maybe der will be 20 000 INVISIBLE people!!!!

I can't wait to watch this.
Sydney are going down.....You might have Dwight, but we have Archie.

Actually, the World Game on SBS said that there was AT LEAST going to be 20,000 people at the game because they've sold more than that amount of tickets, and actually at Queensland Roar vs. New Zealand Knights there was 20,725 people in attendance, which is GREAT!!

HT Sydney 1-0 Victory

Yorke 44'

EDIT: FT Sydney 1-1 Victory

Yorke 44'
Thompson 73'

A really great game, end to end stuff, great advertisement for the game, 25,000 odd people there too, amazing stuff, as for the match Sydney started the better and had a couple of half chances, then Melbourne got back in the game and had some great chances, Thompson hit the bar, then in the final minute of the half, Yorke scored a cracking header to put Sydney in front. The 2nd half for the majority was all Melbourne, great save from Bolton off a Thompson header, then finally in the 73rd minute a brilliant cross by Recchia found Thompson who finished easily, it finished 1-1, great game

25000 I heard. I only got to see the first half but what I saw in that was really good. I think the standard is pretty good, and if the fans can accept that I think it can be really good.

I just got back from the game. It was a pretty decent match with a good atmosphere. Who else here went? And where did you sit? I was in The Cove and the atmosphere was quite impressive there.

Incredible!! Sydney would have been disappointed not to come away with 3 points.

Great opening weekend...

13,000 fans @ Newcastle
??? fans @ Perth
20,000 fans @ Queensland Roar
25,000 fans @ Sydney....

Are these statistics correct??

I think so, thats pretty impressive.

That was an ausome game... I was in ther with all the psycho ppl at the end the cove or woteva... good atmosphere down ther ... FUCK OFF MELOBOURNE FUCK OFF MELBOURNE!!

LOL! Sounds like there is a bit of passion

Nothing beats the feeling when the atmosphere is pumping and the roar of 15,000+ people when there is a goal - beautiful thing!

Tell us more about the game and seeing Yorkey

Great goal from Yorke - GOOO SYDNEY!!! =)

Damn equaliser, good goal though, I have to admit, acting like a neutral for the moment, Melbourne deserved a win by far, completely outplayed Sydney tonight.

But still...we have DWIGHT YORKE!! YEAAAAAAA!!

25,000 that's a top crowd. I told you all =P

Now come on all, it was 25, 208

Right well, I thank god I get there early. No Cove for me - you freaks can have your bad view I have a bronze pass, which is general admission around the goals and the corners on both sides. But then me and my mates went and sat in some of the reserved seats No one came to sit there and no one came to tell us to move as no one knew and I don't really think anyone gave a care. Was packed out and we thought we'd ahave to move, but people just sat where they could, so it was all good.

Had a great view of the goal and saw both of them go in

Archie Thompson, like you know he's good and you hear it all the time, but damn, when you see him live, it is amazing ... and that is all the credit I will give you Melbourne people I knew he'd score, he had it in him.

A little note to not believe everything you read. All I kept reading was that the SFC squad for the night was to be without Jacb Timpano, but then there he was and then he went on and played

Wonder what Justin Pasfield did to his hand, 2 of his fingers were bandaged. Being a goalie, I suppose I should not be surprised, but I was curious all the same.

Now I promised photos ... They turned out better then I thought they did, but I was lucky to get the one right after kick-off as the camera decided to die on me ... but that is what you get when you use the family camera I suppose (I am going to get my own and shall have it by the next game, so that should solve that problem). In the meantime, here is what I got


^ the nice pitch and the goal-keeping coach


^ the guys warming up

The rest of the photos:


^ more warming up


^ the teams lining up ... I tried to zoom in but then the quality wasn't so good


^ well, this was lucky to be taken as I said before. The camera decided it didn't like me anymore after this photo was taken - I had an argument with it to be taken in the first place. This is kick off by the way


Thought the result of the game was fair. Both teams seemed to be evenly matched and had their fair share of the ball etc.

Oh, and my family went to the rugby at Telstra and apprently there was hardly anyone there

some nice pics there jess

I try

Most of the time.

And especially when it comes to footy

Should take some more pics next time you go to the footy

Nice pics...nice and close just the way i like em...

next time kiss ur camera so it can like u again...

I will, with my new camera


Nice and close, I did some stalking

The camera is screwed and there is no way I am kissing that! I shall just get my own

So if i hear of Sydney FC players being stalked then i'll know its you , and kissing the camera well i'm not even going to go there

I somehow pulled an amazing front row seat right near the tunnels,

WOW, Dwight is fantastic, two world class headers and holy moley..

ARCHIE THOMPSON.. hes awesome!!

and i loved when muscat got a yellow and the whole crowd went up with a muscats a wanker chant

then every time he got the ball he was booed but he capped it all off by shooshing us when archie scored which bore more of an onslaught of obscene taunts when he was on and around the ball (mostly by my mate and i)

anyways, going to games should be awesome if they are goign to be of that standard

8 1/2 out of 10 for atmosphere and Quality of football

What a good game and atmosphere that was, especially how me and my mates were like 20 people sitting in The cove section on left how you sit...

25,000 fans really was impressive.

pity we drew :/

Awesome opening weekend to the A-League.

As promised, I think this (The A-League) will be an excellent revival for Australian Soccer.

ARCHIE.......finish it off buddy
fucken hell, we should of won 4-1 or 5-1, we dominated the shots, BULLSHIT! just wouldnt go in. i am very excited about victory, we have a great team. Allsopp needs more target practice.

GREAT FOTOS!!

Cmon VICTORY

some good pics of the cove and stuff in gallery

lol the cove?!?!
copy of our UNION. lol its all good