Sydney take on a Phoenix side this weekend who have already beaten Kosmina's men twice this season, including a 2-1 victory at the SFS.

Kosmina hasn't quite given up hope of a finals spot, acknowlewdging it's still mathematically possible, but admits his team selection is part of planning and looking ahead to next season.

Speaking after training at the SFS today, Kosmina said: "Playing for pride shouldn't be an issue because you play for pride every week.

"It's an opportunity to blood some youngsters and see how we go because the guys that have been there for whatever reasons, haven't worked out like we wanted them to.

"Ryan Grant will definitely start, I've got to toss up whether Adam Biddle gets a start. He's played consistently in the youth team the last month.

"I'm definitely looking at Zack Cairncross getting a start as well. Kofi Danning will be on the bench. Chris Payne will probably come into the squad as well."

Asked for the reasons why Sydney's season had not panned out as hoped, Kosmina said: "There's a 100 different little reasons why. The little things add up to big things. By the time the snowball gets to the bottom of the hill it's as big as a football stadium.

"I've seen heaps of other teams make the same mistakes but we're not punishing people when they make mistakes but they're punishing us. It's just the way the universe is at the moment."

Phoenix have caused Sydney plenty of pain this year and Kosmina points to their workrate.

He said: "They work hard, they're honest. We got too comfortable (when we played in Wellington earlier in the season)over there and they came back and fought like they always do and we lost the game.

"They came here with a psychological edge. They were up for the fight against us last time. We're a bit down in the dumps after conceding three against the Mariners.

"They were up for the fight, we weren't."

Kosmina is a big admirer of Phoenix's biggest threat. He said: "In Shane Smeltz they've got a great individual striker.

"He's good in the team stuff at times and scored a few team goals but you look at the individual goals he scored and they're the ones that make a difference."