Man in the middle: Zac Anderson will get a start for Sydney FC. Credit:Brendan Esposito "It's been a frustrating season but at the same time I came to the club under no illusions that I had to earn my spot and I've worked hard at training to improve my game and Arnie's given me all the confidence to go away and hopefully do well this week in Japan," Anderson told Fairfax Media. "I'm not going to lie – it's been tough – especially at certain times when you're just desperate to get out there and play. But that's every individual's own ego – we all want to play and show what we can do. That's what we're paid to do, but at the same time you have to give the respect to the players that you play with and, at Sydney FC, we have fantastic depth and we're very fortunate to have some fantastic players in every position. "It's been a tough period for me, but mentally I think it will hold me in good stead. I've continued to work hard on my game so that when I get that opportunity, I take it – and that starts in Japan." The 191-centimetre Anderson, who first made his name with Gold Coast United, said he felt he could bring "some real presence" – both physical and verbal – to the back four.

"I feel like one of my strengths is communication and I know on Wednesday night I'll stick to what I do best, which is organising well and talking the boys through the game and making sure I have a big presence at the back," he said. "I'll make sure I do the simple things well but at the same time just contribute and do my job and help the team get some success." The Sky Blues have frequently trumpeted their ambition to be "the premium brand in Asia" but they head into this group – which also features the all-conquering Guangzhou Evergrande and three-time ACL winners Pohang Steelers – as relative minnows. "We're really excited and we're under no illusions about the group we've been dealt. It's probably the three biggest teams we've come up against and we're prepared really hard for this," Anderson said. "In pre-season we did the work that would enable us to get through this period, peaking at the right time and totally capable of handling the pressure of the ACL. "It doesn't matter who the opponent is, whether it's Urawa Reds or Barcelona, you have to go out there with the mindset that you're going to win the game and so we're really looking forward to it." The Sky Blues have been strong defensively for most of this A-League campaign and Anderson said it would be critical going into Asia to maintain that mentality.