Ian Crook ... does coach face must-win game against Victory? Source: News Limited
Sydney FC's chastened players return to training on Monday facing an uneasy future with rumours the club's board could be ready to take drastic action if there is a repeat of the capitulation to the Central Coast Mariners.
It is believed the board already expressed their concerns to the coaching staff after the opening round loss to Wellington Phoenix and again after the defeat to Newcastle Jets the following week.
| P | W | D | L | GD | Pts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Adelaide | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 12 |
| 2 | Central Coast | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 10 |
| 3 | Perth | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 9 |
| 4 | Newcastle | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 9 |
| 5 | Western Sydney | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 7 |
| 6 | Sydney | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | -6 | 6 |
| 7 | Wellington | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| 8 | Brisbane | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 4 |
| 9 | Heart | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | -3 | 4 |
| 10 | Victory | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | -6 | 3 |
Following subsequent successive wins over Western Sydney and Perth Glory there were hopes that the tide had turned for the Sky Blues, but they were given a wake-up call by Graham Arnold's well-drilled team.
Leading football journalist Ray Gatt of The Australian wrote on Monday: "Rumours flew around social media that coach Ian Crook, who was handed the job after Arnold turned down an offer to go to Sydney, could be on his way out if Sydney lose to Melbourne Victory this weekend.
"Italian superstar Alessandro Del Piero could take over as player-coach."
Sydney CEO Tony Pignata, who would not be drawn on the coaching situation, laughed off the rumours.
"That's social media for you . . . when you are hot you are hot when you are not you are not," Pignata said.
"I have had a lot of tweets and the haters will always hate, but we have also received a lot of great support."
Crook would not discuss the possible ramifications for him, but came out swinging over suggestions his players lacked heart and did not try against the Mariners after they went 4-2 down.
"It pisses me off when the moment you get beat like that the armchair experts come out and say the players lacked heart and courage," said Crook.
"That is a total cop-out. Yeah, the decision-making was not great, but they never did not show heart. Once it got to four or five maybe the confidence was gone but they never stopped trying. Never."
Pignata moved quickly to downplay suggestions of panic within the organisation, but admitted everyone at the club is under enormous pressure to bounce back.
"The pressure is on everyone, there is no doubt about that," Pignata said.
"It is a massive game . . . for us. They don't come any bigger than Melbourne Victory."
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