Sydney FC Captain Alex Wilkinson is all set to do it again next year after captaining the Sky Blues to their record-breaking fifth Hyundai A-League Championship on Sunday.
Having endured defeat in his first three Grand Finals, all with the Central Coast Mariners, Wilkinson now has a treble of Grand Final wins to his name, and he’s quashed any thoughts of retirement with a fourth title firmly in his sights.
“We’ll go again next season, I’m not hanging them up yet, we’ll see you next year,” Wilkinson said.
“I got the first three bad ones out of the way and the next three have all been good.
“I’ve been lucky enough to play in some great teams with some great players, that’s more reflective of all those titles,” he continued.
“To be able to win that one [on Sunday] and go into the record books now as the most successful club in Australian history is special.”
Reflecting on what’s been a strange season of Hyundai A-League football, Wilkinson paid testament to all the teams who’ve sacrificed time with their family and friends to move to a NSW hub, and also said clinching the 2020 Championship makes it all worthwhile.
“It’s been a strange year,” he said.
“To be able to come out and win the double and go back-to-back which was one of our goals and something only one other team has done, and claim a fifth Championship which is a record makes it special.
“It’s very different with limited numbers,” Wilkinson said of the reduced crowd numbers due to COVID-19.
“Obviously we can’t go and see the families [on the sideline] or anything like that and they’re not allowed in the changeroom after games, but it is what it is and we’re the lucky ones.
“All the other teams have made their way to New South Wales without their families and friends, they’re the ones that have sacrificed so much so we’re thankful to them for everything they’ve done to get this season finished off.
“All the sacrifices they’ve made, they’ve been unbelievable.”
