Enjoying his second full season as a professional, Harry Van der Saag capped off the regular season with a well taken goal in the Sky Blues’ 2-0 win over Brisbane at the weekend.
Entering the Finals Series, and in line to feature heavily with players away with the Socceroos, we caught up with the youngster to see how he’s feeling.
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A big chance for you with the Socceroos boys away, how excited are you?
Yeah it’s a good opportunity for myself and some of the younger boys whilst some of the boys are away for Socceroos duty. It’s exciting to play for Sydney FC in such a crucial part of the year, the Finals Series is always special to be playing in.
What are you hoping to bring with an increased involvement during the Finals Series?
I’m just hoping to bring some energy to the team and making sure I’m always switched on when called upon.
How excited are you by the prospect of a home Semi-Finals and potentially another Grand Final?
It’s always special to play a home Semi-Final and it’d be even better if we were to get a home Grand Final in front of your family and friends and also The Cove.
How do you think you’ve grown in your second full season as a pro?
I think I’ve learnt a lot this year and I feel more comfortable this year. It really helps seeing young players like Joel King progress so well and become a regular first team player and it inspires us younger boys even more.
How did it feel to score against Brisbane?
It was a tough game against Brisbane they were good and threw the kitchen sink at us. With having some key players away, I thought we did very well to get a win away from home.
The goal was just a bonus, Alex [Baumjohann] made it easier with a great ball over the top and I just thought why not, there wasn’t much time left and my instinct was to score and it went in so it felt nice when I saw it in the back of the net.
What would it mean to win another Grand Final?
To win another Grand Final would make history and would be such a special feeling. To win three Grand Finals in a row, no one has never done it, so it would be unreal if we could be the first team in A-League history to do it. We have three key players away but I think we have enough depth in the squad to go all the way.
