EXCLUSIVE: Despite an estimated $300,000 left in the club’s salary kitty, Sydney FC are casting their net for bargain-priced gems playing in state leagues ahead of the new A-League season.
Sydney FC’s new technical director Steve O’Connor was spotted checking out talent at Leichhardt in the NSW Premier League last weekend. Ironically, two players released by Sydney FC – Ben Vidaic and Luka Glavas – scored at the game they saw.
But there are other players on Sydney’s radar including Manly United pair Joey Schirripa and Robbie Cattanach, Bruno Salas at Blacktown and Sydney Olympic’s Shannon Cole.
Phil Moss, coach of new ladder leaders in NSW Manly United, says that Cattanach – who leads the NSW scorers charts with seven goals - has worked on the weaknesses of his game and that is now showing in the 23-year-old’s game.
“I think he’s one of the best finishers in the NSW premier league and he’ll be hard for A-League coaches to ignore.”
Sydney FC will kick off their pre-season on April 28. After parting ways with some of their big money earners, Sydney’s latest signings in Simon Colosimo, Mark Bridge and Stu Musialik pushed the club’s salary close to the edge leaving only an estimated $120-150,000 to share between three more signings.
But the recently announced junior marquee role will almost certainly see Musialik's wages moving out of the salary cap - and giving Sydney up to $300k left to fill out their squad for next season.
Elsewhere across the A-League and Leichhardt Tigers keeper Matt Nash has rejected rumours linking him with the Mariners as cover for the suspended Danny Vukovic.
“I’ve heard these rumours but I’ve had no contact with the Central Coast,” the talented former short-term Sydney FC keeper told au.fourfourtwo.com today.
And Melbourne Victory are using all their worldwide contacts to find a goalscorer and a midfielder to replace Kevin Muscat who’ll move into defence permanently next season.
Coach Ernie Merrick has told au.fourfourtwo.com that he has not ruled out dipping into the Costa Rican and/or South American market to find such players, but he refused to elaborate on any names.
However, former Victory midfielder Richard Kitzbichler is also assisting the club find European talent from his base in Austria.
But there are other players on Sydney’s radar including Manly United pair Joey Schirripa and Robbie Cattanach, Bruno Salas at Blacktown and Sydney Olympic’s Shannon Cole.
Phil Moss, coach of new ladder leaders in NSW Manly United, says that Cattanach – who leads the NSW scorers charts with seven goals - has worked on the weaknesses of his game and that is now showing in the 23-year-old’s game.
“I think he’s one of the best finishers in the NSW premier league and he’ll be hard for A-League coaches to ignore.”
Sydney FC will kick off their pre-season on April 28. After parting ways with some of their big money earners, Sydney’s latest signings in Simon Colosimo, Mark Bridge and Stu Musialik pushed the club’s salary close to the edge leaving only an estimated $120-150,000 to share between three more signings.
But the recently announced junior marquee role will almost certainly see Musialik's wages moving out of the salary cap - and giving Sydney up to $300k left to fill out their squad for next season.
Elsewhere across the A-League and Leichhardt Tigers keeper Matt Nash has rejected rumours linking him with the Mariners as cover for the suspended Danny Vukovic.
“I’ve heard these rumours but I’ve had no contact with the Central Coast,” the talented former short-term Sydney FC keeper told au.fourfourtwo.com today.
And Melbourne Victory are using all their worldwide contacts to find a goalscorer and a midfielder to replace Kevin Muscat who’ll move into defence permanently next season.
Coach Ernie Merrick has told au.fourfourtwo.com that he has not ruled out dipping into the Costa Rican and/or South American market to find such players, but he refused to elaborate on any names.
However, former Victory midfielder Richard Kitzbichler is also assisting the club find European talent from his base in Austria.
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