Sydney FC utility Paulo Retre says the Sky Blues are hungry for more success – with this season’s Premiership and Championship in their sights.
The Sky Blues made their intentions clear in a busy off-season as they look to become just the second side to record back-to-back Championships – a feat only achieved by Brisbane Roar (2011 & 2012).
The club is no stranger when it comes to being a target for the rest of the competition – something Retre says the club has embraced in their quest for further success.
“I think it’s always difficult winning the league or being the premiers because you’ve always got a target on your back for the next season, so everyone’s looking to see how you go,” he told Breakfast on FNR.
“That’s the thing you can only celebrate for so long, you sort of always have to have in the back of your head you’re only as good as your last game.
“The boys are always really good like that at Sydney, they’ve had that mentality where they want more and always strive for more, it’s part of the ethos at the club at the moment.
“This [mentality] starts with the coaches and filter to the players, it’s been there since Arnie’s been there and now everyone else is following that same structure and it obviously makes a difference.
“You can’t rest on your laurels that’s the thing that [Steve Corica’s] mentioned throughout [the pre-season] is that we won last year but now we want to do one better by getting the premiers and the championship.”
After getting their season off to a strong start in a win against Adelaide United, the Sky Blues host Wellington Phoenix at Leichardt Oval in their first home game of the season.
Sydney will once again play home matches out of the smaller Leichardt and Jubilee Ovals this season while the Sydney Football Stadium is under renovation.
But Retre believes the boutique stadiums provide a different experience and an atmosphere which cannot be compared.
“It’s been exciting, it’s been very different,” he said.
“We’ve always been used to playing in big stadiums, but it’s been good having that feel good atmosphere at the ground so we’re expecting a great crowd and atmosphere [this weekend] and the more people that go will help the occasion too.
“It does [feel different] even though there’s more people [in bigger stadiums], it doesn’t feel as intimate, it’s hard to explain.
Breakfast on FNR airs daily from 8-9am (AEDT) hosted by Athos Sirianos and Nick D’Urbano.
