Sydney FC goalkeeper Danny Vukovic says there’s no place like home, as he prepares for his first outing at Allianz Stadium as a Sky Blue on Saturday.
Vukovic hasn’t turned out for a Sydney side for over a decade and said his confidence is building following his return, as he credited Head Coach Graham Arnold and Goalkeeping Coach John Crawley with his return to form.
“We’re very happy being home, there’s no place like home,” Vukovic said.
“It’s been 12 years since we’ve been in Sydney. We’re surrounded by a lot of loved ones, friends and family, which is important and we’re just loving being back.
“I definitely feel more confident in myself and I think that has a lot to do with being back with John Crawley and getting back to the basics,” he continued.
“He’s taught me my goalkeeping style from 12 years of age and sometimes you just really need to get back to basics and that’s what we’ve done.
“Arnie I’ve known for a long time. I’ve got a great relationship with him, he knows me really well, and how to get the best out of me.
“The way he [Arnold] puts a team out is great. I think he’s one of the best coaches in Australia and I’m very confident in the way that we play and the style of football he has us playing.”
The Sky Blues face Vukovic’s former club Central Coast Mariners on Saturday (kick off 5:35pm) in their first home game of the season, and the gloveman is expecting the encounter to be tighter than predicted, considering the Mariners three goal turnaround against Perth Glory in round one.
“The Mariners will always have a soft spot in my heart, they’ve done so much for my career at an early age and I’ll always be fond of that club,” Vukovic said.
“On Saturday though I’m not worrying about them, I’m worrying about us and the three points and putting in a good performance.
“I’m predicting a tough game,” he continued.
“Obviously their first half performance was one to forget but they bounced back really well in the second half and I really feel that they’ve got a stronger team than last season.
“They’ve got a lot more pace upfront, and through the spine of the team they’ve got a lot of experience.
“It’s going to be a tough match, but it’s our first home match, it’s a chance to entertain our fans and get to six points as well and we’re confident that we can get the win.”
Sydney FC take on the Central Coast Mariners at Allianz Stadium on Saturday 15 October (kick off 5:35pm). Get your tickets now and arrive early to catch a pre-match screening of Ice Age: Collision course at 3:10pm.
Sydney FC Memberships are now on sale for the Hyundai A-League season 2016/17. Click here to become part of the Sky Blue Family.
