Zabaks given first crack at keeper

With Ali Akbal watching from the bench and Nenad Vekic poised to return from Sydney FC youth league duties to the grade 20?s, Phillip Zabaks is the man who has been given first crack at the highly contested goal keeping position at a club blessed with talented glovesman.
Zabaks, who joined the White Eagles from A.P.I.A-Leichhardt in the off-season, has a new lease on life and is relishing his time at the club.
?The team?s great and the atmosphere in the change rooms here is electric,? he said.
?We struggled a little in the pre-season but now we?ve hit the ground running and playing some very very good football and it?s exciting to watch.?
Like many of the new recruits who joined the White Eagles in the off-season, the opportunity to play under Brian Brown and Cliff Pointer made the decision to make the switch west a lot easier, but the coaching duo weren?t the only reasons for the change.
?When they showed me who had signed here it was too good of an opportunity to pass up,? Zabaks said.
?My short term goal is to win the league and as many trophies as possible and in the long term I would love to try and get an A-League gig.
?I?ve just got to try play consistent each week and hopefully someone will give me a go.?
With three quality keepers in his team, coach Brian Brown believes the competition has brought the best out in Zabaks.
?Phillip has a fantastic attitude which has rubbed off on Ali,? Brown said.
?He definitely has the potential to play in the A-League and he needs to perform in the Premier League and be one of the best in the competition.
?He?s very conscious of improving and wants to get better so he definitely has the passion for it.?
-By Michael Chammas