Sydney skipper ‘hungry’ for more success

Brattan, 33, starts another A-League season on Saturday night when his Sydney side hosts Melbourne Victory in the “Big Blue” at Allianz Stadium.

Things are slightly different this season for Brattan, who not only has the job of again running the Sky Blues midfield but also the added responsibility of the club captaincy following the retirement of lone-time skipper Alex Wilkinson at the end of last season.

“To be captain of this club is a huge honour, and I’m not taking that lightly, but I’m trying not to change too much,” Brattan said.

“I’m still approachable, and I still try to have some banter with the younger boys and talk to them, but I’ll just continue what I was doing before and lead by example on the pitch.”

Despite having been a stand-in captain for part of last season, Brattan wasn’t expected to be given the armband permanently, and that it could just as easily be donned by the likes of goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne, fullback Rhyan Grant or fellow midfielder Anthony Caceres.

“They’re all experienced players, and they’re all very successful as well,” he said.

“It’s not just me. There are a lot of leaders in the team.”

Brattan said Wilkinson still being at the club as head of football operations would help him.

“I still speak to ‘Wilko’ and pick his brain. It’s good to have him around to speak to him when I need to,” he said.

“He’s a fantastic guy and he’d do anything for this club.”

Brattan has already lifted a trophy as Sydney captain, having led the Sky Blues to a 3-1 Australia Cup final win one of his former clubs, Brisbane Roar, earlier this month

It was the second time he had won the Cup. with four A-League championships and three A-League premierships also among his collection of honours.

“I’ve won a fair bit, but I’m still super hungry and I still want to win things. Over the next three or four years I can add a few more trophies to the collection because we’re going in the right direction here,” Brattan said.

A trophy in Asian competition still eludes Brattan.

The Sky Blues’ Cup win secured them a spot in the 2024-25 AFC Cup, but Sydney’s skipper would love another crack at winning Asia’s major club honour, the AFC Champions League.

To guarantee themselves a chance of doing that. the Sydneysiders will need to top the 2023-24 A-League ladder.

“The Wanderers have been the only Australian club that has won it (the Champions League), so that’ll be a goal of ours, to win that trophy as well, but to get there we need to win the A-League first,” Brattan said.

Originally published as Sydney FC captain Luke Brattan has more silverware in his sights