MC: You would have heard all the stories before you arrived about Sydney FC being a dysfunctional club. How have you found it on a day-to-day basis? GA: From outside looking in, you probably could have said it was dysfunctional. From the inside, you can say there's a lot of misconceptions out there. There's been three coaches in the last five years, and I'm one of them. One of them, Ian Crook, resigned. The same CEO has been there for three years. Look at West Sydney Wanderers, they average 14,500, we average 19,000, but that's not read about. Injuries, we're supposed to have an injury crisis; whereas West Sydney get injuries and it's called a rotation policy. So there are misconceptions out there. I've had nothing but great support from Tony Pignata and the board. I'm in total control of player recruitment, staff recruitment, so everything to do with the football team, it's my responsibility. MC: You touched on the Wanderers, how excited are you about the derby? How are you going to contribute to that derby? Are you going to rev it up, or do your classic "under-the-radar" thing? GA: I can't wait. At the Mariners we had the F3 derby against Newcastle, it was great, that brought some excitement, but it was nowhere near this level. Obviously the biggest club of Sydney is us, and we've got to go out with the attitude they're the little brothers. We're the biggest club, and we've got to command the derby. MC: You're big on club culture. You've been knocking walls down at Macquarie University, rearranging the headquarters, putting rules in place for the players, for the coaching staff. Why?

GA: I'm big on team-building, team culture, but I'm also big on no excuses for the players. You provide them with the best of everything, all the resources, all they have to do is turn up and perform. They'll get all the analysis from Rado [Vidosic], they'll get all the conditioning from Andrew Clark, they'll get all the man-management and leadership off me. They get paid well, we're putting in a gym so they don't have to leave the facility. We've reopened the kitchen, we've got a chef, they'll get great food after every session. We want them to feel Macquarie is like home. When they drive over that bridge, we want them to leave their egos behind. They come into the car park and it's all about mateship and the team. Bring the mentality of hard work every day, that's what I ask for, and that's what I expect. MC: Is it true Alessandro Del Piero had his own dressing room at Macquarie? GA: Yes. MC: That's something you wouldn't put up with? GA: No.

MC: Talking about marquee players, there's plenty of discussion about whether Marc Janko is a marquee in the full sense of the word. Why did you go for him, and not a huge name? GA: First thing is he had to fit in the budget. The second thing is he's a top-quality player. He's scored goals wherever he's been, although he had a tough time in Turkey because he wasn't happy off the field. He's at his peak, 31, he's captain of Austria. He brings leadership, he's buying into what we want to do. Over time, I believe he will be like Thomas Broich, or Besart Berisha. They came here with decent CVs, and now they're household names. MC: Marc is a striker, Shane Smeltz, Bernie Ibini, Alex Brosque. All your big signings have been up front. Why? GA: If you look at who left the club, Del Piero, [Richard] Garcia, [Ranko] Despotovic, [Joel] Chianese, they were all strikers. I needed to add some strength up front. I want two players for every position to create competition for places. Even for Marc, I've told him he has to work to get in this team. MC: Bernie Ibini. A few Mariners fans are upset you went back to your old club and got him.

GA: I love the Mariners, but the thing they're forgetting is that Bernie is owned by a Chinese club [Shanghai East Asia]. The Mariners had two months to sort out the [loan] deal, and one day after I got the job he is on the phone wanting to come. It was the kid's decision, he wanted to come to Sydney because I was there, he was sick of the travel from Sydney. And let's not forget, football is business. MC: Speaking of fans, do you think you have to win over the Sydney FC supporters? GA: The Cove, from day one, has set the bar for supporters. They're never going to be happy when we lose, but I can guarantee I won't be happy either. I will give 110 per cent to make sure we're successful, and playing good football. It won't be for lack of trying. All good supporters around the world are like a 12th man. We have to make the stadium a fortress. That's my appeal to the fans. MC: Supporters can also destabilise a club. GA: I haven't experienced that yet. If there's any negative support, that affects the players, that affects their performance. It's our job to make sure that doesn't happen.

MC: Results usually – but not always – create a calmer environment. What are your benchmarks for this season? GA: Asian Champions League qualification. We're a big club, the fans have ambition, the board has ambition, I'm an ambitious person. Success is everything. It's going to be a big challenge, but I truly believe we have the quality to go a long way. MC: Who are the teams to beat this season? GA: Brisbane Roar, Melbourne Victory, but I worry 75 per cent about us, and 25 per cent about the opposition. The team to beat is ourselves. MC: You have arrived at Sydney FC at a stage of life, at a stage of experience, that makes me wonder if you've joined the club at just the right time?

GA: No doubt that hard times I've been through are all lessons. I look back at Northern Spirit, trying to be a player/coach, how insane was I? I look back at the Socceroos, I got pushed into being an interim coach when I wasn't ready. Then I had the great few years at the Mariners. Lifetime-wise, at the age of 51, what I've been through, it's probably the right time to be here. MC: So it's a big job, but you've got the big shoulders to handle it? GA: I want to be at this club for 10 years, and I mean that.