Plunge Cafe staff are mad for the Hyundai A-League. Owner Hesham El Masry is a proud Sydney FC fan; chef Chris Rice is a Queenslander who thinks the Roar rules and barista Sanjay Turner is mad for the Mariners. Needless to say, Monday mornings are full of talk about the weekend’s football.

“Having a boss who likes another team gives us a chance to gloat when his side loses,” says Sanjay with a cheeky smile. “Well, that hasn’t happened in six weeks,” shoots back Hesham.

“Sydney is the current number one side in Australia because we’re the reigning grand final winners,” adds Hesham, proudly holding The Full90 that reminds him of “this season’s greatest game – a 4-1 away win over Adelaide. Benny that day was unbelievable...”

Coincidentally, the cafe has become a favourite haunt for a number of Aussie football identities, such as Fox Sports’ Simon Hill and fellow commentator and Sydney Morning Herald football writer Michael Cockerill as well as journalists from FourFourTwo magazine and FFA staff.

Jazz singer Monica Trapaga – who owns a shop next door – and cast members from Home and Away are also regulars at Plunge Cafe.

“When the A-League started, I thought it was just great,” says Hesham. “We all come from different parts of Australia so we just naturally wanted to support our city teams. Football is getting so big, you can tell by the amount of people who talk about it,” he adds.

Chris says Queensland has the potential to be the biggest club in the country, “but winning games regularly at home is something we’ve never been able to do. And I think the jury is still out on Frank [Farina].”

Mariner Sanjay is absolutely certain the Central Coast is the best Hyundai A-League club. “There are only 300,000 people on the Coast and we pull almost 10,000. That’s some figure for such a small area.”

Sanjay adds that the fact the club has made four grand finals in a row – and has taken over what was a Rugby League territory – puts the Coast and the Marinators in the position of being greatest Hyundai A-League franchise. “What Lawrie [McKinna] has done is incredible on such a tight budget with no big stars.”



During the World Cup in June, Plunge Cafe set up a large screen plasma TV and invited friends and regulars to enjoy food, coffee and the Qantas Socceroo matches during the wee hours when Summer Hill’s cafe strip was closed.

“The Japan game, we had people jumping up and down on seats. And you should’ve seen us after that Croatia game,” recalls Hesham with a big smile.

“We were trying to serve our morning customers and we were just in another world... and had been up for most of the morning. The whole cafe was talking about the Socceroos and Harry’s goal. It was mayhem!”

“Yeah, what a month that was. We’ll never forget it,” add Sanjay and Chris while Hesham nods.

So they do agree on something then.

Reproduced from TheFull90 – the official matchday magazine of the Hyundai A-League www.a-league.com.au Get it at the game!