It has been an eventful 2022 for Sydney Olympic, both on and off the field. After all the smears and rumours of the club’s alleged imminent demise and the connected attacks by various individuals which included the so called news media (proper journalism died a long time ago), following Bill Papas’ departure from the club and everything that surrounded that story, Damon and the new board have done extremely well to right the Sydney Olympic ship and plot a course towards stability and a bright future for the club.
With that being said, I’m quite sure not many people would have pencilled in the club to claim the Minor Premiership this season, a truly Herculean effort which necessitated the defeat of the League Leaders at the time Blacktown City on the final day of the season, as well as hoping Manly didn’t thrash Rockdale too badly, an achievement every bit as dramatic as our Minor Premiership triumph of 2018.The achievement is even more remarkable, given the heavy reliance and lone wolf display of Roy O’Donovan’s 23 goals this season, emphasizing the point, the next best for the club this year, was Darcy Burgess with 5 goals.
Throw in also, that between rounds 15 and 19, we only won once in those 5 matches, plus we lost our 1st choice goalkeeper Nick Sorras, for the final 2 months of the season with injury.
Given the various near misses throughout Sydney Olympic’s history, freak events and acts of sorcery, which have seen the club miss out on numerous other honours down the years, to get one back this way, is well deserved and about time something went our way.
When it came Finals time though, the good luck, fortune, serendipity call it what you like, deserted us.
Losing the Major Semi-Final in week 2 to Manly after a 1-1 draw after extra-time, before losing 4-3 on penalties. The following week, in the Preliminary Final against Blacktown City, a similar story developed, the match finished 1-1 after extra-time, before going down on penalties again 5-4.
In both Finals, Sydney Olympic should have wrapped up both matches inside the 90 minutes, which if we had done so against Manly, it would have put us straight through to the Grand Final and there would have been no reason to even go to a Preliminary Final. But it is what it is, that’s football as they say.
In terms of the FFA Cup (renamed Australia Cup now) which also doubles up as NSW Waratah Cup ties, it was a very poor display. Sydney Olympic was eliminated in the 4th Round (the first round where NPL 1 clubs enter the Cup), a shocking loss to lowly St George City, the match finished 1-1 after extra-time, where we then proceeded to lose 4-2 on penalties.
3 penalty shoot-out losses in 1 season, that must be some sort of record?
As for the coach, club legend Ante Juric, he leaves Sydney Olympic to take up other opportunities elsewhere but will always have on his coaching resume, Minor Premiership success with the club, which he had also done as a player in the NSL in 2002/03.
Some of his moves and decisions throughout the season, drew the ire of Sydney Olympic supporters and many will point to our 2 defeats in the Finals, as justification for that displeasure.
As for who will replace Ante Juric in the dugout for Sydney Olympic in 2023, I am told that it is all but done and just waiting to be announced.
Obviously with that being said and until a new coach arrives, it is difficult to ascertain which players will be re-signed, which players will be chased to join the club and who of the current squad will be let go.
Also interestingly, from season 2023, NPL 1 will be a 16-team competition consisting of 30 home and away rounds, with first past the post being declared Champions, with the Finals Series being scrapped by Football NSW.
At this moment in time the 16 clubs will be:
Sydney Olympic
APIA Leichhardt
Marconi Stallions
Sydney United
Wollongong Wolves
Blacktown City
Manly United
Sutherland Sharks
Mt Druitt Town
Rockdale City
NWS Spirit
St George City
Northbridge Bulls
Sydney FC Youth
Western Sydney Wanderers Youth
Central Coast Mariners Youth
Personally, I dislike the youth sections of the a-league franchises being allowed to ascend to NPL 1, they do not bring anything of value to the competition, except benefiting themselves and their own interests. At most, they should be restricted to the NPL 2 competitions within every state competition in Australia, but that is a discussion for another time.
We await important announcements from the club regarding the coach and the squad and we’ll see what 2023 brings for Sydney Olympic.
