Adrian Sejesic Silver lining in Sydney’s disastrous season

For Sydney FC, the 2021-22 season was a tumultuous one, the result of the club’s failure in the final series for the first time since 2013.

However, there is some much-needed good news, with Sydney announcing the signing of a player who is believed by many involved in youth development to become a star: Adrian Sejesic.

Sejesic was expected to leave Sydney for Europe at the end of the season, but other A-League men’s clubs also circled, with the Sky Blues working fast, signing teenager Tyro to a three-year deal.

Rival fans have lashed out at Sydney over the years over the club’s reluctance to include talented youngsters in the first team, preferring mature players.

However, Sydney deserves to be applauded for the deal, considering the number of young players leaving the club last season.

At the junior level, the game between the Sagesic under-13 and under-15 age groups regularly finds itself behind the net.

Although not as extensive as some of his peers, it was his technical prowess that instantly forced people to take notes. So much so that the Croatians came to call the FA.

Sejesic was born in Australia but is eligible to play for Croatia through his grandparents.

Australia also knew about the potential and drafted a camp for Trinity Catholic College alumni for the Under-15 squad and Trevor Morgan-led Under-17.

Sky Blue Hall is the only color Sejesic knows, as he has moved through the ranks since joining the Sydney Academy in his first year in 2016.

He has been carefully cared for by Sydney coaches Jimmy Van Wyren and Howard Fundike, who have become the crown jewels of many of Harbor City’s most infamous youth set-ups.

Going to Europe seemed inevitable, especially after the 2020 Sejesic cyclone trial at several major European clubs, including Liverpool, Manchester City, Leeds, Chelsea, Wolves, Ajax, Dinamo Zagreb and Rangers.

It was the Scottish Giants Rangers who were thought to have struck a deal, with news confirmed through social media channels, only to have the last hurdle dramatically break.

The rejection could hurt the confidence of the young players, but Undeterred, Sejesic turned all his efforts back into football and the youngster won the club’s Rising Star Award for his consistent performances with the NPL team in Sydney.

Surprisingly Sejesic has played for Sydney FC’s first team several times this season, during the team’s disastrous A-League men’s and Asian Champions League campaigns.

Sejesic is the latest in a long list of traditional Australian players in the Balkans who have excellent technical skills – players in this part of the world seem to have been born with it.

He has a stick in his left foot that reminds him of a young Craig Goodwin, but is equally adept at cutting back on his right side when needed.

Sejesik is confident that not only with one player, but also with a change of pace, they will fly away.

But his best overall quality could be his vision, when he goes down deep and drifts into the line where the defenders are not sure whether to stay or get involved.

Their indecisiveness leaves Sejesic in his element, among teammates who have the foresight to thread a weighted pass.

Like any modern attacking player, he is not afraid to change defensively. However, it is better to keep the ball at his feet than to chase.

The biggest area of ​​improvement may actually come from the weight house.

Sejesic has very little build and it helps him to slalom through challenges, big body opponents will use regular heavy hand tactics to foul him.

Adding some muscle to his upper body makes the player more resilient to the kind of bumps and tackles that a player in his particular skill set has.

Sejesic will be 18 by the start of next season, and it won’t be a surprise to see him pushed to start a new-look midfield in Sydney after a full pre-season.