Patrick Kisnorbo remains at long odds to be Sydney FC\u2019s coach next season even if he guides the Sky Blues to the A-League championship this month.<\/p>\n
Success over Newcastle in the two-legged semi-final starting on Saturday night at Allianz Stadium would secure the Sky Blues a berth in the grand final,<\/p>\n
Under Kisnorbo, who in March was given the Sydney job until the end of the season following the departure of Ufuk Talay, the Sky Blues are unbeaten in five games and have kept four clean sheets.<\/p>\n
However, even if Kisnorbo, already a title-winning coach with Melbourne City in 2021, takes Sydney all the way to what would be the club\u2019s sixth championship, it\u2019s unlikely to be enough to earn him a new deal.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s understood that Sydney\u2019s intention is still to secure an overseas coach for next season, with the club\u2019s sporting director Alex Baumjohann and the football committee having conducted interviews and in the midst of forming a shortlist.<\/p>\n
When asked on Friday if he had been in talks with Sydney officials about next season, Kisnorbo said: \u201cYou probably know more than me. For me, it\u2019s just concentrating on today\u2019s training, and that\u2019s it.\u201d<\/p>\n
He was also guarded when asked what role Sydney\u2019s star English winger Joe Lolley would play on Saturday night.<\/p>\n
An unused substitute in the Sky Blues\u2019 1-0 elimination final win over Melbourne Victory last weekend, Lolley hasn\u2019t played since suffering a serious ankle injury in early March.<\/p>\n
\u201cJoe\u2019s coming back from a long injury. We\u2019ve got to be right in the way we use Joe if we need to use Joe,\u201d Kisnorbo said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe fact that he\u2019s training in the level that we like is great. If you asked me five weeks ago, I think the story looked different because it was such a big injury, but the fact that he\u2019s come through that period, it\u2019s very good.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s working hard, he\u2019s training hard, and we\u2019re lucky to get him back training (at the level) where we think he needed to be.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor me, it\u2019s what\u2019s best for the team. The team\u2019s the most important.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kisnorbo would not concede that the Sky Blues, who finished the regular season in fifth place, were the underdogs against a Jets side that won the premiership by topping the table.<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t really think about it like that,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve only come in late. For me, it\u2019s not about the status. For me, it\u2019s just trying to work hard, be positive among the group, and continue to get better.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m very lucky to coach good players. It\u2019s great to share knowledge with players that want to learn to get better.\u201d<\/p>\n