Hunger is the best Food Jan 12 2009

SYDNEY FC live to fight another day and it took a 17 year old refugee from Ghana armed with fleet feet and cult status already to announce to the A-League “the kid can play!”

After blitzing the youth league all year, it was going to be only a matter of time before Kofi Danning the speedy left winger from Canberra showcased his skills on the big show.

With due respect to Bobby Petta, he has been there and done that in Uefa Cups and all that; but it was so refreshing to see some speed on the left wing. With the game not reaching any great heights until Alex Brosque and Troy Hearfield decided to bump foreheads, Hearfield went for an extra bump and was sent off.

After a great tackle on Shane Smeltz by Stuart Musialik the ball went wide to Danning on the left who passed nicely infield to Steve Corica, who hit Brosque in the box, Danning kept running forward and Brosque with one touch presented the ball to Danning in the box who controlled with his left foot and toe poked it with the right foot. Cue the ecstasy from the home crowd and I will join the queue of those who say “I told you so”.

Kossie stuck the kids in and, without setting the world on fire, they can definitely hold their heads up high for at least giving everything for the team and keeping Sydney FC’s season alive for one more week with the 1-0 win.

Rhyan Grant comes from Orange and looks like he should doing Mambo ads; the 17 year old looks assured on the ball, and made some nice runs and interceptions in a busy display at right back.

Zach Cairncross showed Bea Busch how it’s done at the centre of defence and one wonders if Kossie had used some of these kids earlier perhaps our season would not have been so frustrating.

You hear the term “you can’t win trophies with kids” thrown around often; it’s like that saying “children should be seen and not heard”, and it’s usually said by old people. But what do old people know?
Probably that it’s better to be 17 years old with your football career ahead of you, fearless, reckless and hungry.

Brendan Gan, Shannon Cole, Chris Payne and the other young players I mentioned will only get better with the experience they accrue from playing games. With some of the more experienced players out of form or injured the younger players have been the only bright light in a season that has thus far been dark and gloomy.

The Sydney Football Stadium groundsmen did his best to get a mention on TV again with the pitch still looking like a shaggy carpet, causing the ball to hold up at the most inappropriate times.

Last Chance Saloon again

Let’s hope Central Coast lose against Melbourne away next week, pray Wellington get defeated at home by Adelaide and cross your fingers that Sydney beat Queensland away. This will give Sydney a chance of making the finals if they beat Newcastle and will put the pressure firmly on Coast and the Nix in the final round.

Stranger and more complicated things have happened, but I’m a dreamer and have been accused on occasion of being Quixotic, but that’s why I love football.