Some Golden Soft Sombrero Moments with Branco Culina Culina's smash and grab mission… Diegos: "In Olympic's last trip to Melbourne, you engineered the ultimate smash and grab mission by coming to Knights stadium, accepting all the comforts and loving warmth of home and then stealing the three points, whisking them away up to Sin City. Some call it ungrateful; others call it NSL coaching at its best. As a former Melbourne Knights coach, was there a little bit of extra incentive to win?" Culina: "Yes the teams I've coached have been very generous to Melbourne Knights in the past. I felt it was time that they were a little kinder to us as well. As you know, their hospitality is always very well received and we certainly got some of 'that' as we were leaving the park. Yes, it was an enjoyable game, not so much the performance but the result, and with the much needed three points as well, it was a great bonus." Soft Sombrero Moment March 2001
Diegos: "Sydney Olympic is beautifully poised to make a strong assault on the championship this season. We witnessed recently that the Wollongong Wolves have been drawn in the rich World club Championship Group of Death, probably the only Group of Death every NSL team would love to be in. Has the advent of the World Club Championship and the millions of dollars that go with it, put extra pressure on you as a coach to win the league?" Culina: " No, I don't think there is extra pressure. I can't put any more pressure on myself than I already do. People who know me will tell you that. But there's no doubt that it does play on everyone's mind that 'Gee, it would be wonderful to finish on top and go to play in these championships.' The reasons are many; financial as well as publicity for your own club, for yourself, for the players, and so on. Yes, I can assure you there is heaps of talk about it at the club, and I'm sure that it's the same at other clubs as well." Soft Sombrero Moment March 2001
Diegos: "The Diegos reckon that Young Socceroo, Lindsay Wilson, one of Olympic's many young guns, is a player definitely destined for stardom. What we want to know is, how good you believe he is and does he have a manager? The Four Diegos' Management Group is ready to smooze. Our connections in Mexico are without peer." Culina: " I would certainly not argue with you guys, I mean, you are the experts. Lindsey is potentially a very, very good player. I first saw him play when I was coaching Sydney United. He was just a youngster making an occasional appearance for Canberra. I took a particular interest in him and eventually brought him to Olympic. He has tremendous stamina, speed, and he's learning his trade very quickly. I think he's not very far from where Brett Emerton was probably a couple of years ago." Diegos: "We loved the way he played against the Knights. He really took the game by the scruff of the neck. He looks like he would be suited to English football - so much for our Mexican connections!!" Culina: "I think he can play just about anywhere. Unfortunately for you blokes, I'm not sure about Mexico but he wouldn't be out of place in Belgium or Holland. There's no doubt though that he still has to get mentally tough, but look, we've pitted him this year against the likes of Scott Miller from Perth, and some of the better left-sided players in the country, and I don't think there has been one game where he's finished second best. I think if he can continue to work on his game, and listen, he will go a long way." Soft Sombrero Moment March 2001
Diegos: " You mentioned Brett Emerton. Has he been in touch lately? Has he expressed how much he's missing Sydney Olympic since going to Holland?" Culina: "Oh yes. Last time I spoke to him he was trying to see if we could organize a loan deal because he wanted to spend a few months back in Australia to catch up with everybody. No seriously, Brett and my son, Jason are pretty close friends and they are together almost once or twice a week. They're about an hour away from each other so we speak a fair bit when they're at each other's place. Brett's enjoying it over there. He's playing with a very good club, Feyenoord. They've been knocked out of the Cup and been overtaken by PSV [Eindhoven] in the League so their form recently has not been great. But he's enjoying his game and playing as a right back, which is not what he really wants to do. He prefers to play further up the field, but the coach feels that at this stage he's more of a defensive player. I keep telling everyone in Holland that they won't see the best of Brett Emerton until he actually plays more of a right wing role. Brett's had some really good offers and bites from other clubs, and it probably won't be too long before we see Brett move on." Soft Sombrero Moment March 2001
Diegos: "The Sydney Olympic powerbrokers have been in partnership negotiations with Leeds United for some time now. The last the Diegos heard is that aside from Olympic general manger, Peter Raskopoulos allegedly telling them to 'Get Stuffed', all is progressing well in their discussions. Will a deal be sealed soon?" Culina: " There's no doubt that Leeds United is interested in Sydney Olympic and (Olympic part owner) Nick Politis is quite keen to listen. The problem is that Sydney Olympic's current owners are against selling the club fully. However, they would be interested, and there are negotiations going on currently, in Leeds United coming in as some sort of partner. A take-over however is out of the question. Leeds is reluctant to accept anything less than full control though. Despite the stand off Leeds won't shut the door on any deal because they look at Sydney Olympic and at players like Lindsay Wilson, Clint Bolton, Nick Carle, Greg Owens, Franco Parisi, Dylan McAllister, and say 'Gee, if we can pick up one or two of these guys and they can make it in the UK over the next couple of years, we've got it made'. So it's no surprise that they're after Olympic. However, Olympic at this stage, and I doubt that it will ever happen, is reluctant to sell the 51%." Diegos: " Would part of any deal involve an player exchange program? The Diegos reckon that a straight swap between Pablo Cardozo and Harry Kewell would be a win-win for everybody, don't you think? Culina: " Look, I'd be a bit disappointed from our perspective. I just don't feel that Harry Kewell's trickery can match Pablo's guile and South American flair. So I'd be a bit disappointed unless they made a straight swap between David O'Leary and myself, then I could work with Mark Viduka and take the clock back about eight or nine years when we worked together at the Knights. Yeah that might tempt me to move from Sydney Olympic … and probably take Pablo with me for that matter." Soft Sombrero Moment March 2001
Diegos: "There was a time last season were your disillusionment with the game in this country was made public. Eating funny cakes and watching your son, Jason play his football for Ajax in Holland was a distinct possibility. Have your views changed? Culina: " Not really. I'm still a bit disillusioned. I've enjoyed going to Amsterdam. In fact I spent a couple of months there not so long ago and it was terrific. The coffee is not as good as it is here in Australia, but the cafes are not bad. The scenery is very good as well. It did a world of good for my health. There comes a time when you ask yourself the questions: 'where do you go? What do you want out of the game? And how do you continue to play the politics that are involved in the game?" And believe me, and this is serious, there is heaps of it in Australian soccer. There's politics in all sports. There's politics in all walks of life. The problem is that the game in Australia is not big enough to deal with the politics that we have. It's sad because it's bringing the game down. I just ask myself, 'what do you need to do to change this? Can you change it? If you can't then maybe you should get out'. Look, I've devoted my life to Australian football, and there comes a time when you ask yourself, 'Is that more important than everything else?' And sometimes when you see the politics that are played and the way the game is going, you have to seriously ask yourself whether it's worth it." Soft Sombrero Moment March 2001
Diegos: "Now Branco it seems that you hold the mantle as the best dressed of all the Ericsson Cup coaches. How do you respond to the fact that you are considered to be the most debonair and fashionably dressed A - League coach?" Culina: "Gee, l wasn't aware that l held that tag. I suppose having come from Melbourne, it must be the cosmopolitan in me." Diegos: "Actually, Branco we adopt the same philosophy about being well dressed. We demand the best and that's why Delmonte sponsors us. Izzy Dye is a personal friend." Culina: Before l got to JAG, I did dress myself in Delmonte of Footscray. Diegos: "Well, you know what they say...... ' Looks good, feels good, is good !'" Culina: "Sure did! I can still feel it." Soft Sombrero Moment 1998 |