I have the support of the players: Farina
Sydney FC coach Frank Farina insists he has the support of his entire playing group and harbours no fears for his job at the beleaguered A-League club.
The Sky Blues have endured their most testing week in the wake of their 3-0 loss to Adelaide on Saturday, where supporters staged a protest at Allianz Stadium calling for Farina’s head.
Tensions heightened when Farina banished midfielders Nick Carle and Matt Thompson from training indefinitely on Monday, resulting in the club being threatened with legal action by the players’ union.
The duo were reinstated after talks between club and union, and were at training at Allianz Stadium on Thursday, Farina adamant his relationship with them was not fractured.
He would not be drawn on his reported assertion that they had been a “negative influence” on the team and said they would be considered for selection for Saturday’s home game against Perth Glory.
“Yes they will, as usual,” Farina said.
“Everyone in that dressing room is in contention.”
Asked if he felt the squad’s players were behind him Farina said: “Yes 100 per cent.
“There’s no major issues within the team I think more so the frustrations stem from lack of results, it’s as simple as that.”
The coach, who has guided the side to seven losses in their past 10 matches, said he had put all his issues with Carle and Thompson behind him and it was “business as usual”.
“No it (our relationship) hasn’t been fractured,” he said.
“I won’t go into the issues as they’ve been resolved.
“I expect everyone here that’s fit to play to be prepared to stand up and fight like everyone else.”
Farina, who can have his contract terminated by if Sydney don’t make the top four, said he was fully aware of the pressures that come with being Sky Blues mentor and wasn’t concerned for his job yet.
“Not at this stage. It’s a week-to-week thing,” he said.
“Sydney’s a different beast than most other clubs.
“When you’re the coach of Sydney FC you’ve got to expect that, and if you believed anything else then you’re kidding yourself.
“It’s been a difficult week but I actually enjoy adversity and I’m one of those people that will come out fighting and hopefully my players will do the same.
“Whether this week galvanises them or makes them stronger, we’ll wait and see.”
Farina said he didn’t see this week as necessarily a pivotal point in his career and believed that, sitting one point outside the top six, his side was still well in the title hunt.
The coach hoped fans turned out in numbers for Saturday’s clash but joked he may have to wear a “raincoat or a crash helmet” at Allianz Stadium after a drink was thrown on him during last week’s loss.
“It happens, it’s disappointing that someone is able to get that close. Thankfully it was only a beer in a plastic cup,” he said.
“We can laugh about it but potentially it could have been something worse.”