With the Sydney FC squad returning to training on Wednesday, Sydney FC Head Coach Steve Corica revealed the one final headache facing him ahead of the season’s restart in July.
Defender Ryan McGowan is set to return to Australia tonight after spending time in Scotland for the birth of his baby daughter, and will be forced to undergo the mandatory two weeks of quarantine and train on his own before re-joining the squad.
Corica said his medical and high performance team were doing everything possible to keep the central defender fit ahead of the club’s first game back on July 17.
“It’s very difficult [managing McGowan’s return],” Corica said.
“He’s arriving back tonight, so he’ll go into quarantine in a hotel for two weeks so he’ll have a shorter preparation than the other boys so we need to take it a little easier with him. Whether he’ll be right for the first game I can’t answer that yet.
“We’ll see how he comes back after doing his running program and after quarantine and judge him when he comes back in with the boys.
“We’re trying to get a running machine into his hotel room, that’s if that’s allowed. We’ll see what happens and we’ll try get one in for him.”
Corica said it was great to be back, as he looked ahead to a thrilling final few months that will see 27 games in 28 days played across the league, with the Sky Blues in pole position to bag a record-breaking fourth Hyundai A-League Premiership.
“This is the perfect end to the season now,” he said.
“You want to be involved in these games leading into the Finals and then win trophies. We want to do that and it’s about refocussing and going on to achieve what we started out to do at the start of the season.”
Reflecting on his months spent in lockdown, Corica said he was always eager to return to the pitch, and said there’s plenty on offer for the team and fans with Season 2019/20 nearing completing.
“I kept myself busy doing stuff around the house, but you run out after a while,” Corica said.
“After four or five weeks I was well and truly ready to come back. First four or five weeks was a bit of a holiday period like the end of the season, you can treat it like that but after that it was a little bit tough.
“Everyone is going through hard times at the moment, not just footballers. Our squad have lot left to achieve this season and it’s the perfect time to come back now.”
Sydney FC return to Hyundai A-League action on Friday 17 July against the Wellington Phoenix.
