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Yorke aims to shine in Sydney [Sat Aug 27th, 2005]
With Sydney FC’s first game of the inaugural A-League season 24 hours away, the club’s star striker Dwight Yorke is ready to show that he still has something to offer.
The team are the favourites to win the title and kick off on Sunday afternoon at home to Melbourne Victory. The former European Cup winner with Manchester United hopes to prove he has still got what it takes after disappointing spells with Blackburn Rovers and Birmingham City.
"I feel much better, much fitter," reported The Age – a leading Australian newspaper. "I can tell you that. They’ve put me through the tests, I’ve got a few matches under my belt and I’m ready. The talking is over, it’s time to stand up and be counted.
"I don’t feel the pressure, not at all. I get paid a lot of money to do what I enjoy. Coming here has given me my appetite for football back again, and I’m really excited about the weekend.
"The expectations are high but that’s fair enough. I mean, I demand a lot from the other players myself. I’m not the captain but with my experience I feel I am a leader. What I am telling them is that this is the real thing.
"Expectations don’t bother me. I have been in this situation all my career in the Premier League where people expect a lot from me and that is fine."
Turning down offers from cash-rich Middle Eastern clubs to head Down Under, the 33-year-old is confident about the coming season.
"We expect to do well. We expect to win the league. That is why you play to win so we are going to go out there every week and play to win. If we do that, everything else will happen naturally."
And there will, of course, be a big contribution from the man himself, who predicts that he will average at least a goal every two games.
"I expect to do well. By doing well I mean scoring double figures. Anything over 10 is a successful season for a striker, so anywhere from 11-25 goals will be good."
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