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SYDNEY - Fresh from one of the highlights of his coaching career, Ricki Herbert is predicting a "productive" week off the pitch for the New Zealand Knights as owners circle for a piece of the rejuvenated A-League soccer club.
Herbert guided the Knights to a first in their rocky two-year history, back-to-back victories, with a boilover 1-0 win over defending champions Sydney FC before 16,000 stunned fans at Aussie Stadium last night.
It halted the glamour club's nine-match unbeaten streak, and Che Bunce's 16th minute volley ended Sydney's epic 547-minute stretch without conceding a goal.
It's been a scarcely believeable month for Herbert who took over after Football Federation Australia (FFA) revoked the A-League licence from the Knights' previous owners and left it with New Zealand Soccer.
With some players tetchy over pay disputes with FFA, Herbert's makeshift Knights lost 0-4 to Melbourne, but then Christmas arrived with a 3-1 win over Queensland then yesterday's result for just their fourth victory of the season.
"This is a great feeling for everybody back home. It's been a bloody tough couple of years, hanging in there, bottom of the league and accepting criticism which was quite justified," Herbert said.
"The pendulum's swung a little bit and if we can say there's some credibility coming back into what we're doing, hopefully the last couple of weeks have supported that. "
With no new owners yet confirmed for next season, Herbert expected progress in upcoming days as the team chase three straight against Central Coast at Gosford on Thursday.
"I'm hoping next week's going to be productive for us. I'm not involved in the financial side of it but I believe there's a number of people looking at a positive outcome.
"It's essential that the franchise stays and if tonight's going to help that, then fantastic. "
Herbert rated last night's result "right up there" in his career due to the power of the Sydney franchise and the trans-Tasman rivalry.
He said his coaching philosophy was simple and after the Queensland win was quietly confident of a result, even though local bookmakers listed them at a juicy $11.50 to Sydney's $1.17 yesterday.
"I've just thrown a lot of responsibility back on the players. We've become accustomed in the last couple of games to at least give ourselves a chance by being in the match.
"We've got to keep the ball, be patient and have belief. "
Goalkeeper Mark Paston was one of the Knights' heroes, throwing himself everywhere and making eight saves as Sydney had 23 attempts at goal to the Knights' 10.
Two of those, from the dangerous David Carney then Sasho Petrovski in the 87th minute, beat Paston but not the woodwork.
Another star was Chinese import Leilei Gao who cleared off the line in the second half after his corner set up Bunce's clinical finish.
Neil Emblen relished a more forward role and made a lot of the play, combining well with speedsters Gao and striker Alen Marcina.
Sydney coach Terry Butcher labelled Emblen and Paston the Knights' players of the match and said Herbert had done a "sterling job".
"They came here on a high, worked very hard for the result, put bodies on the line and blocked everything. The keeper had a great game and we were denied by the woodwork, so in the end it just wasn't our day. "
- NZPA
