The only thing better than resuming the A-League at home for Dwight Yorke is having his “talismanic” captain Ulises Davila back at the helm.
It’s been a month since the Bulls last played an Isuzu UTE A-League match due to the break for the 2022 FIFA World Cup but their resumption of the season comes at a perfect time with the team’s leader, Davila, back from a long-term hamstring injury.
The Mexican playmaker suffered a cruel injury in round two against Adelaide and was sidelined for six weeks, only resuming full training during the World Cup break. The 31-year-old is now back, fit and ready to take on Melbourne Victory on Sunday at Campbelltown Stadium in a much welcomed boost for the Bulls.
“You talk about leadership and he’s certainly our talisman,” York said. “He’s well respected and he’s a fantastic leader as well and he’s key to our success.”
Yorke was coy on whether Davila would start against Victory or come off the bench, suggesting he was mindful of rushing the star player back after a long absence.
“He was out with a long term injury so we have to be mindful of that but certainly having Uli [Davila] back is huge for us and he gives us a huge confidence for our team,” Yorke said.
The former Manchester United star said the break was a welcomed chance to reset, recover but also reflect on their solid start to the season that has put the Bulls in fourth place on the ladder heading into round 7. Yorke was satisfied with the team’s progress so far but has demanded more “consistency” from the resumption of the season.
His bid to notch a third win of the A-League season has been boosted by a return home to Campbelltown Stadium where the Bulls have not played since mid-October. He reiterated his desire to turn ground into a “fortress”, where visiting teams will struggle.
“A home game to restart the league, I think any manager would be delighted with that and obviously we are happy the game is here in Campbelltown,” Yorke said. “We have a good record here, it’s a record we want to improve on. It’s a place we want to turn into a fortress to make it really difficult for opposition to come here and pick up points.”
