Manly United next stop for Sydney FC in friendly clash

With the peninsula club sailing along well in second spot on the NSW Premier League ladder while also having qualified for the Tiger Turf Cup quarter finals, Moss said was important his players got the opportunity to mix it with A-League opposition.
?The players always look forward to this game against Sydney FC and I think it has a bit extra this year because there is a new coach and new attitude coming out of the A-League club,? Moss said.
?They are one of the benchmarks for the A-League and have probably the highest profile playing roster so it?s a great test for our players and one I believe is crucial to provide for our players. As a coach I want to see which players can rise to a challenge like this.
?We have a lot of young players here at Manly United and they all have aspirations to be professional footballers so to see the likes of Steve Corica, John Aloisi, Clint Bolton, Karol Kisel and others up close, play against them and see how they conduct themselves on and off the field is an important part of the development of aspiring young professionals.
?We have always given a good account of ourselves against A-League clubs in the past and I?m expecting it to be no different this time around.?
Sydney coach Vitezslav Lavicka is expected to roll out his full array of stars with Corica coming off the bench against Penrith Nepean United and scoring in last Tuesday?s 2-0 victory while Aloisi is also playing his part in the pre-season.
Former Manly United youngster Chris Payne has been in solid form during numerous pre-season games and will relish the chance to come back to his old home ground.
But Moss said Payne should not be expecting the ?red carpet treatment?.
??Payney? was a Lucas Neill Scholarship winner at Manly and that really helped launch his career,? Moss said.
?After the game we?ll embrace him but during it he will be closely watched by our guys. He scored a screamer against us last year and that hasn?t been forgotten by his former team-mates. Of course we are proud of what he is achieving but this is a game of football that we want to win and he is an attacking weapon for them.?
Manly United officials are expecting a good turnout for the game with Sydney FC attracting crowds of between 2,000 and 4,000 at their previous NSWPL encounters.
United president Keith Pester urged Manly-Warringah football supporters to attend the game.
?There is a very positive vibe about what Sydney FC is doing this year and I think Manly Warringah football people will really get behind them this season,? Pester said.
?We have 17,000 registered players in the association area and you?d like to think from that alone there will be a good crowd to watch Sydney and our boys go around on Tuesday night.
?Their other games have been well attended and this is a good test for this area to show how passionate we are about top level football. We certainly don?t want to be shown up by other NSWPL clubs who have played Sydney FC in the past few weeks. I urge all football supporters to get to the game.?

• Kick off is 7pm. Gates open at 5.30pm. Entry is $10 (adults) and kids under-16 free and the clubhouse, canteen and all new Ray?s Pizza and Pasta restaurant (in the club house) will all be open.

A curtain-raiser with some of Manly United?s brightest young talents will take place from 6pm under the watchful eye and coaching of Sydney FC youth team coach Steve O?Connor.