It has been a busy couple of days for Sydney FC.
On Tuesday, the club announced it had signed a four-year deal with Puma to be the club’s official apparel supplier, replacing Adidas. On Wednesday, the club further announced Nikola Petkovic had been sold to KVC Westerlo.
Chairman Scott Barlow was excited by the new deal with Puma.
“This partnership with PUMA marks a new era for our club and it’s one we’re extremely excited about. Puma are one of the world’s leading sports brands with a long and successful history in football,” Barlow said.
“We’ve worked closely with PUMA to design a range of merchandise of an international standard for our members and fans.
The design brief we set was clean, classic, premium and authentic and we’re confident we’ve achieved that. This new range will be our best yet and we look forward to sharing it with our supporters at the upcoming launch.”
The Puma deal comes into effect from July 1, 2015 and runs to the end of the 2018-19 A-League season. Part of the deal will see specific Asian Champions League and FFA Cup kits, as well as the design of new home and away strips for the upcoming 2015-16 and 2016-17 A-League campaigns.
Puma Oceania General Manager Paul Gautier said he was pleased to be partnering with Sydney FC.
“Sydney FC is Australia’s leading global football brand and we are looking forward to producing a high quality merchandise range which matches their premium and ambitious status,” Gautier said.
“This is a hugely important partnership for us and one which we hope will take Sydney FC to the next level in sportswear design.”
Puma and the club intend on launching the new kit once the players return to preseason training. The deal will also cover the club’s W-League, National Youth League and Academy teams.
Being a long-time fan of Adidas, it was disappointing that the brand did not make a bigger effort to stay on. Having said that, much of the merchandise Adidas produced during its partnership with the Sky Blues was underwhelming, and it seems many Sydney fans share this view based on Facebook and Twitter.
Despite the new partnership with Puma, some fans are hesitant on what it will produce, but the feeling should be one of excitement. It is a fresh opportunity to have some new merchandise and hopefully an opportunity to create an iconic home strip. Additionally, one hopes the club gets access to better designs with regard to supporter wear. This could well happen with Erica Berchtold on board as club director.
Meanwhile in the playing group, the club accepted an offer for defender Nikola Petkovic. He has been sold to Belgian Pro League club KVC Westerlo and cited family reasons as the reason for leaving, so will be closer to his family after spending time on the other side of the planet.
Petkovic made 57 appearances for Sydney and has been one of its better defensive players throughout its brief history. While the back end of last season saw him in questionable form, Petkovic moved to left-back and his form improved somewhat. While most seem to remember him for this contribution, it is important to remember that over two years, he was a valuable member of club.
“I have had a wonderful two years at Sydney FC and I have really enjoyed being a part of this fabulous club in this amazing Harbour City,” Petkovic said.
“Playing for Sydney FC and getting to know the club’s fantastic members have been one of the highlights of my career and an experience I will remember for the rest of my life.
I would like to say a huge thanks to Scott Barlow, Tony Pignata and Graham Arnold for allowing me to take this opportunity to be closer to my family. I have many memories which I will always look back on with great pleasure and believe this club will go on to bigger and better things.”
Graham Arnold had nothing but kind words for the Serbian who also won Sydney’s Player of the Year award in his first season at the club.
“I’d like to thank Nikola for his two years of service to Sydney FC,” Arnold said.
“I understand how hard it can be to be so far away from your family, especially when you have young children. He is a very good professional and I wish him all the best in his future endeavours.”
Petkovic’s departure from the club opens up more salary cap space for Arnold, allowing him the chance to adequately fill the gaps in his squad. There is still some time before the 2015-16 season kicks off, so Arnold has ample time to get the players he needs.
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