Parisi keen to finish off impressive first year in coaching
Franco Parisi will look to add more gloss to an outstanding first year in coaching when his APIA Leichhardt take on Sydney United 58 on Sunday.
Parisi has already guided his team to National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s glory while also taking them to the Australia Cup Round of 16.
Parisi is no stranger to success at APIA, winning multiple titles in his playing career, including the Waratah Cup with the club in 2013, breaking their 21-year cup duck and then again in 2018.
However, claiming the NPL NSW Men’s title in his maiden coaching campaign hasn’t satisfied Parisi, explaining the club are placing plenty of emphasis on Sunday.
“Quite often, it gets dismissed as the cup in the background or secondary to the Australia Cup, but never for us,” Parisi explained.
“For us, it represents the best team in New South Wales outside the A-League teams, so when you think of winning the competition, you should also be thinking about winning this cup.”
The coach’s expectations for the team remain much the same ahead of Sunday against ‘formidable’ opponents Sydney United 58, but he admitted a different format requires some adjustment.
With both teams claiming one victory each in the NPL NSW Men’s this year, Parisi viewed the Cup final as the 2023 decider.
“How you approach your domestic league, to how you approach a knockout competition are definitely two different things,” Parisi said.
“The knockout gives a different element, so you have to be able to manage the team mentally and balance the legs of the players physically.
“They’ve [United 58] proven they can win any game they commit to.
“When they’ve needed to win, they have. So the big games that they’ve shown up for, they are a formidable opponent.”
Sunday represents another chance for icon Parisi to create further history with APIA as he continues to craft another new era at the club.
Match Details
Sunday 10th September
Leichhardt Oval
3pm
APIA Leichhardt FC v Sydney United 58
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