Football is a small world. Just ask Filip Holosko, Sydney FC’s newest marquee who hopes to forge a striking partnership at the Hyundai A-League club with a player he faced at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Holosko hopes to cultivate a dangerous combination in Sky Blue with striker Shane Smeltz, a player he first came across while playing for Slovakia against New Zealand at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
“I played in that game against Smeltzy. I didn’t know then that one day I would play with him,” Holosko told www.a-league.com.au with a smile.
“I’m really happy now to be here with him, he’s a great guy.
“I played in the [World Cup] games against New Zealand and Paraguay and it was a great experience.
“We beat Italy 3-2 to make the last 16…for a small country like ours, only five million people, it was our biggest achievement.”
Holosko is now looking to add more achievements to his resume with the Sky Blues, starting with the much-anticipated season-opener against Melbourne City on October 10.
And the likeable Holosko is confident he can deliver after playing in the cauldron of Turkish club football for seven seasons with Besiktas.
The 31-year-old, who scored 42 goals in 144 appearances for the Black and Whites, proved a handy attacker in such a tough league and played with some exceptional players, including ex-Real Madrid man Guti and Portugal internationals Simao and Ricardo Quaresma.
“Beskitas is the biggest club in Turkey with so many top players,” Holosko said
“Every game the stadium is full and you have to win.
“Now I’m at Sydney FC which I think is the biggest club in Australia too.
“I want to put my quality on the team and I want the fans to see that. I hope we can be champion, win the grand final and qualify for [the last 16] of the ACL.”
While Holosko has taken the marquee spot of Janko, he’s unlikely to play in the central striking role.
He can play anywhere across the front line, with coach Graham Arnold expected to use him on the right wing after Bernie Ibini’s move to Club Brugge.
And Holosko is more than aware of the big names who’ve preceded him in the 10 years since Sydney and the league kicked off.
“I know who has played here before. [Del Piero], [Dwight] Yorke, last year [Marc] Janko was top scorer of the league,” Holosko told www.a-league.com.au.
“But I don’t feel the pressure playing for this.
“I’m confident. It’s a big pre-season and I hope to do well for the fans, the team and the coaches.
“I came here because I want to win. I want to be successful here and I want to score many goals.”
