Jake selected for Sydney FC opening eleven
18-year-old Jake Girdwood-Reich keeps making small steps forward in his short professional football career with Sydney F.C.
He took another decisive step when he was selected in the first eleven to start for the first time in the A-League match on Saturday night against Victorian team Western United at Allianz Stadium, Moore Park, Sydney.
Playing at Allianz Stadium is always special for Jake, who lives at Clovelly Beach, because of his continuing attendance since he was seven at Sydney FC home games. In spite of a disappointing loss the previous week to Western Sydney Wanderers, Sydney FC achieved a 3-3 draw and sees them retain their 6th position on the A-League table as the season end looms.
Jake Girdwood-Reich plays against Western Wanderers last weekend
Introducing Jake to the TV audience, Paramount Plus commentator and U-20 Australian national team Assistant Coach Luke Wilkshire complimented Jake as a player.
He said: “He is definitely a different player to Paolo Retre out on suspension. Jake is a strong-holding midfielder. Jake is a winner. A winner. Off the pitch, he is quiet. But on the field, he will go through a brick wall for you.”
Simon Hill, the well-known English football and Paramount Plus commentator, listed Jake’s experience with Sydney junior and youth clubs and having played for the academy at Scottish Premier League Club St Johnstone FC. For those who know Jake, this is no surprise. Jake is eligible to play for Scotland (in addition to Australia and Germany) because of his Scottish heritage and has many Scottish relatives proudly online following his career.
Jake has only been back in Australia a few weeks after being away on international duty with the U-20 Australian team to play in Uzbekistan for the AFC Asian Cup final. The semi-finalists as the qualifying tournament for the FIFA U20 World Cup scheduled for Indonesia in September 2023. Following the Indonesian government’s refusal to allow the qualifying U-20 Israel team to compete, another location is now being explored by the world governing body FIFA in South America. Jake’s Australian team was eliminated in the quarter-finals after a penalty shootout against eventual cup winners and hosts Uzbekistan, continuing a history of Australian teams failing to qualify since 2013.
He has immensely enjoyed his national team duties over the years with the U17 Joeys and U20 Young Socceroos. He told Football Australia in March recently: “There’s nothing better than getting a call-up for your national team.
Getting the call [for the AFC Asian Cup Finals] was an unreal feeling to me, especially missing the last [2022] qualifiers with a niggle in my hip flexor that ruled me out”.
He described his midfielder contribution in a particular way: “I’m a very aggressive player. I like to break up play, win the ball back but like getting on the ball as well”.
With his starting debut behind him, Jake is now preparing for next week’s away game in Adelaide that might possibly decide Sydney FC’s finals fate.
