sidelined

“Look, should Branko have been sacked without a full season? No, that’s crazy talk. Is this a farce? I, and many working families right across this country think so. Will I be putting forward my name as a replacement? Look, we will release all Sydney City United-related policies in due season, but more what’s more important is that Mr Howard answer this question…”

Seriously now:

I don’t think any Sydney FC fans were happy with our post-ACL performances, and Branko has to share a fair amount of the blame for them. His initial flexible approach to positioning and squad selection calcified over the course of the regular season: players were put out of position, squads were selected on reputation — most infamously the decision to award captaincy to Tony Popovic at the expense of Mark Rudan before he had played a full competitive match — and his selection choice was poor, neglecting to mend important gaps left by the departure of Alvin Ceccoli and David Carney.

However, Culina was handed a shocking run of injuries, which combined with international call-ups and suspensions, rarely left him with anything like his preferred squad. Several of the players remaining can arguably be said to be on their last legs and have seldom proved effective. Terry Butcher was in much the same straits last year, and the board persevered with him despite much greater mutual antipathy, to say nothing of his tactics and relationships with most of the dressing-room.

The apparent motivation behind Culina’s removal has been the professed desire on the SFC board’s part to have a serious whack at the titles this year, most likely inspired by the Newcastle Jets run after the sacking of Nick Theodorakopolous. To this end they appear to have John Kosmina lined up to replace him. However in sacking Culina before the return of Zadkovich, Corica and Milligan for the game against the Central Coast this sunday, they may have just thrown a wrench into their own plans, as the game is a must-win and it will take time for the players to adjust to the new coach.

This doesn’t look particularly good off-field either, at four coaches in two and a half years SFC is now way in front in the coach-sacking stakes. Perth Glory, winless for more than a year now, have not replaced Ron Smith. Melbourne didn’t replace Ernie Merrick after their poor performances in Season 1 and we know how that decision turned out.

Best of of luck, Kossie (or whoever), you’re going to need it.