Special Feature: Phil Makrys: “I think we’ll win the competition”
He has led the team well, scoring seven goals so far, to go with the five he scored last year.
Sydney Olympic have charged into second position in the NSW Premier League on the back of their stunning eight game winning streak and pivotal to this run has been the performances of Makrys, who scored the winner from the spot in their 1-0 victory over South Coast Wolves on Saturday evening.
A Sydney Olympic youth product, Makrys is currently in his third year back at the club.
?I was on scholarship at the AIS for a bit after playing my youth football at Olympic, and then I spent four or five seasons playing first grade for Bankstown City Lions under Peter Tsekenis, before I returned to Olympic,? he said.
Tsekenis? side has put together a remarkable run of results of late and Makrys said that he was a little surprised by the magnitude of their success this season.
?Yes, I?m surprised, especially considering that we lost Rob Mileski, Alex Smith and Richard Luksic. Although we have replaced them, I didn?t think we?d do as well as we have without them, he said.
Makrys was keen to emphasise the impact that the younger players have had on the squad this season.
?It?s a credit to the young boys who have come in and made a difference,? Makrys said.
?Young boys like Troy Danaskos, who has been our left back all year, Zac Elrich and Peter Triantis too, have played every week, whilst people like David Gullo have also made an impact when we?ve needed them to,? the midfielder continued.
Sydney Olympic?s troubles with Belmore Sports Ground are well documented and as a result, Olympic have hardly played there this season.
?It?s definitely unsettling,? Makrys said.
?Not knowing whether we?re playing at home or away or where we?re playing at all every week is really difficult, but to put together the results that we have shows the depth of character in the squad. We?ve been training in public parks in the mud and it?s been really tough,? the midfielder continued.
Makrys paid tribute to the Greek community and particularly to the support of the newspaper, O Kosmos.
?Their coverage and level of support has been sensational,? he said.
?We?re all really grateful for the way that they?ve supported us and for the exposure they?ve given us, it?s really beneficial to the team and the squad as a whole,? Makrys said.
Although they are seven points in arrears of Bonnyrigg White Eagles in the race for the Premiership, Makrys exuded confidence when asked about Sydney Olympic?s ambitions for the rest of the season.
?I think we?ll win the competition,? he said.
?Our goal was to make the top three and going in to the finals we?re very confident that we can go all the way,? he concluded.
With Makrys in vintage form and Sydney Olympic on a dream run, nobody would back against Olympic winning back to back NSW Premier League Championships.
-By Matthew Connellan
