Um, ju- just with Australian football a- and the A-League, um, what, what, what do you think's holding it back or, or, or what are some of the things that, um, the league can do to, to have its popularity rise and compete with the other football codes?

Yeah, it's a, it's a very good question, and something I think that, um, that people like to chat about, or people have their opinions.

I, I'd like to see...

I can see, like, the issues that we have, but I don't always know the answers.

I think, um, in Australia, I think everyone sort of gets behind their national team, right? So when the Socceroos play, we, we tend to sell out, uh, a lot of stadiums.

Like, they had two games against Brazil only a month ago, and both were sold out.

So they, we try to get around the national team, and I, I'm s- with the Rugby League World Cup coming up, it'll be quite similar.

I- is, is it something there that Australia and the A-League need to try and leverage a bit more, that, that star power?

Over the journey, how have you found that balance between blooding young players and giving them an opportunity, as opposed to how teams are doing it now?

Yeah, it's almost, um, this day and age, especially in the A-League, it's almost, um, teams are forced to do it, maybe financially more than anything, but also, um, that's just the profile and I suppose the, the way the modern game is.

It's a, sort of a young man's game.

Um, and like I said, financially in the A-League, maybe some clubs need to look down that route.

But, um, yeah, over the years, it sort of...

I remember when I was coming through 18, 19 years ago, it was, um, yeah, few and far between young players coming through and getting a chance, um, and then really taking that.

Whereas now you see a lot of young players be given a, um, extended period to sort of, um, get used to it and see themselves, uh, become a regular in, in the first team.

Do you guys have a like... 'Cause you've got such a long pre-season in A-League, do you guys have like a pre-season bonding weekend or day or anything like that, where you just get to know each other over in a, in a social setting?

Over the journey, how have you found that balance between blooding young players and giving them an opportunity as opposed to how teams are doing it now?

Yeah, it's almost this day and age, especially in the A-League, it's almost teams are forced to do it, maybe financially more than anything, but also that's just the profile.

And I suppose the way the modern game is, it's sort of a young man's game.

And like I said, financially in the A-League, maybe some clubs need to look down that route.

But yeah, over the years, I remember when I was coming through 18, 19 years ago, it was feeling far between young players coming through and getting a chance and then really taking that whereas now you see a lot of young players be given an extended period to sort of get used to it and see themselves become a regular in the first team but I suppose the proof is in the pudding you look at the players that have sort of burst onto the scene over the last five or six years and gone on to big teams and big leagues in Europe so yeah it's one of those ones where You might see a lot of younger players fall about the wayside, but then maybe there's one or two that come through and do really well.

But I'm still sticking in there for the old boys.

I think it's still quite important.

Do you guys have a lot, because you've got such a long pre-season in A-League, do you guys have like a pre-season bonding weekend or day or anything like that where you just get to know each other over in a social setting?

What's it been like? What's been different?

Yeah, it's been pretty intense, pretty brutal, to be honest.

There's a lot of tough sessions with running at the end, which is, As everyone knows, everyone will probably not enjoy.

But yeah, it's been pretty hectic.

But yeah, as it's gone on, everyone's sort of starting to keep up and get really fit.

Yeah, I suppose the mental side of it, PK's massive on too, obviously.

Being physically fit is important if we want to do well and play the way he wants us to play.

Over the journey, how have you found that balance between blooding young players and giving them an opportunity as opposed to how teams are doing it now?

What's it been like? What's been different?

Yeah, it's been pretty intense, pretty brutal, to be honest.

There's a lot of tough sessions with running at the end, which is, as everyone knows, oh, everyone will probably not enjoy.

But yeah, it's been pretty, pretty hectic.

But yeah, as it's gone on, everyone's sort of starting to keep up and get really fit.

And yeah, I suppose the mental side of it, PK's massive on too, obviously.

Being physically fit is important if you want to do well and play the way he wants us to play.

Over the journey, how have you found that balance between blooding young players and giving them an opportunity as opposed to how teams are doing it now?

So did they sort of live up to what F- uh, Fletcher's expectations?

Um, yeah, even though the result didn't go our way, we still had a great, um, Mad Monday.

As, as, as one, everyone knows, it's always good to celebrate the season you've had.

But, um, yeah, in terms of the, the game, it wasn't obviously what we wanted.

It was, um, yeah, a pretty good game, probably pretty tight there and, um, yeah, sort of conceded a deflected goal, which is never nice.

But, um, yeah, credit to Auckland, they did really well.

They had a, a great season.

How have you seen so far? What's your, your biggest sort of takeaway, uh, from the Socceroos' performances in the group stages?

So did they sort of live up to what F- uh, Fletcher's expectations?

Um, yeah, even though the result didn't go our way, we still had a great, um, Mad Monday.

As, as, as one, everyone knows, it's always good to celebrate the season you've had.

But, um, yeah, in terms of the, the game, it wasn't obviously what we wanted.

It was, um, yeah, a pretty good game, probably pretty tight there and, um, yeah, sort of conceded a deflected goal, which is never nice.

But, um, yeah, credit to Auckland, they did really well.

They had a, a great season.

How have you seen so far? What's your, your biggest sorta takeaway, uh, from the Socceroos' performances in the group stages?

Do, do you study more, um, you know, these sorts of things at the back end of the season in preparation for big games and, and going down to the wire and, and, and trying to pick up mannerisms and tendencies?

Uh, in terms of studying the goalkeeper, we'll do like a goalkeeper analysis every week, but that's more obviously for, um, the way whether they parry a lot, which means they push it back into the path of, of attackers, or if they, when they come out one-on-one, if they go down early or stay up.

Like, there's little different things that we sort of go through.

But in terms of penalties, um, we don't really study what the keeper does.

The keepers though will know, um, what the players do or what...

Say I've, I'm ste- stepping up.

The, their keeper will know my last couple penalties either went to the left or to the right.

Um, what's he brought to, to, to Sydney FC?

How much, uh, time and effort do you put into studying goalkeepers' habits for s- such a big game like this? Is it, do you, do you study more, um, you know, these sorts of things at the back end of the season in preparation for big games and, and going down to the wire and, and, and trying to pick up mannerisms and tendencies?

Uh, in terms of studying the goalkeeper, we'll do like a goalkeeper analysis every week, but that's more obviously for, um, the way, whether they parry a lot, which means they push it back into the path of, of attackers or if they're, when they come out one-on-one, if they go down early or stay up.

Like, there's little different things that we sort of go through.

But in terms of penalties, um, we don't really study what the keeper does.

The keepers, though, will know, um, what the players do or what ...

Say I've, I'm ste- stepping up.

The, their keeper will know my last couple of penalties either went to the left or to the right.

Um, what's he brought to, to, to Sydney FC?

How much, uh, time and effort do you put into studying goalkeepers' habits for s- such a big game like this? Is it, do you, do you study more, um, you know, these sorts of things at the back end of the season in preparation for big games and, and going down to the wire and, and, and trying to pick up mannerisms and tendencies?

Uh, in terms of studying the goalkeeper, we'll do like a goalkeeper analysis every week, but that's more obviously for, um, the way whether they parry a lot, which means they push it back into the path of, of attackers or if they're, when they come out one-on-one, if they go down early or stay up.

Like, there's little different things that we sort of go through.

But in terms of penalties, um, we don't really study what the keeper does.

The keepers though will know, um, what the players do or what, say I've, I'm ste- stepping up.

The, their keeper will know my last couple penalties either went to the left or to the right.

Um, just through, um, sort of looking at a piece of paper or the goalkeeper coach will usually be at, on the side and giving them information.

Um, what's he brought to, to, to Sydney FC?