To see Sydney train today...

To see Victory train...

Ten years ago, the Aussie coach, then boss of NSL club Wollongong Wolves, presided over arguably the greatest ever grand final in local club football.

Up against big-spending favourite Perth Glory Wolves famously came back from three goals down at half-time to drag themselves back into the contest at 3-3 after normal time.

In front of over 43,000 fans at Perth's Subiaco Oval, the cavalier south coast club went on to win the 2000 NSL grand final trophy in a penalty shootout after the scores remained tied.

In Saturday's 2010 A-League grand final, a crowd in excess of 50,000 is expected for an equally anticipated finale.

Theodorakopoulos says Sydney must not open up early on and allow the emotion of the day get to them - just as the Wolves did a decade ago when they succumbed to Glory's first half onslaught with goals from Ljubo Milicevic, Jamie Harnwell and Bobby Despotovski.

"And the importance of scoring an early goal will silence the home crowd, that I think will be at the forefront of [Sydney coach] Vitezslav Lavicka as well as his players' thinking," he told au.fourfourtwo.com today.

"If they get that early goal, Sydney have been quite defensively sound in most games. If they do score early, they'll back themselves to take the championship home."

During the season, Sydney had great success against Victory when lightning-quick strikers Alex Brosque and Mark Bridge did not allow Victory's defensive line to settle.

This allowed midfielders like Karol Kisel and Terry McFlynn to push on and further pin Melbourne back while an organised sky blue rearguard kept Victory's quick strikers at arm's length.

It worked to a tee in a 3-0 drubbing and a 0-0 draw at Etihad in the regular season. However Theodorakopoulos feels the tactical approach may differ on such a huge occasion.

"I don't think it'll be a similar scenario when it comes to tactics. Both sides will be a little bit cautious, more so Sydney," he said.

"Playing away from home, having the odds against them and at the same time, Melbourne have the ability to play out from the back the best out of all sides in the competition so I don't think they'll be fazed if the Sydney FC boys decide to pressure up field."

And Theodorakopoulos believes, injury notwithstanding, Socceroo Shannon Cole needs to return to the sky blue starting XI.

With a sellout crowd, a re-laid pitch and a reconfigured stadium for the biggest rivalry in the A-League, it all points to a special day in Australian football - just as the Wolves versus Glory grand final caught the imagination a decade ago.

And with a large global audience of around 79 million, what better way to showcase the A-League.

"It's the dream grand final," said the former Jets coach turned Fox Sports football analyst.

"It's a titanic struggle we see when these two sides meet and more importantly, they'll pack it out, which can only be good for Australian football."

He added: "Melbourne has deserved to host it therefore they should start slight favorites. But I don't think Sydney are out of it. An early goal and it'll soothe any worries they may have.

"But you'd have to be a brave person to say Melbourne shouldn't start favourites or won't win it."

To see Sydney train today...

To see Victory train...