Sydney FC coach Frank Farina is hopeful his side's season-opening win over Newcastle will help lift the 'negativity' that was surrounding the club in the pre-season.
Some Alessandro Del Piero brilliance ensured their campaign got off to a perfect start as the Sky Blues beat the Jets 2-0 at Allianz Stadium.
The Sky Blues had copped a lot of stick heading into the Jets clash for their poor form and results in pre-season, including four straight losses over the last month.
But after watching his side out-class Newcastle on Friday night, Farina hit back at the critics who suggested Sydney would again struggle this season.
Asked if he felt his side were written off heading into the new campaign, Farina said: "Yeah definitely.
"There was a lot of negativity surrounding everything and anything so to get off to a start like that is pleasing.
"A lot of the media were questioning pre-season results...you must have read (the criticism) as well. That's part of the business we're in, you accept it and you deal with it.
"Before a ball was even kicked there was a lot of pressure on us. Myself, the team, so it's a good start....but it's only a start."
Farina stressed he used the pre-season to experiment and have his side peaking for the start of the A-League and felt too much was being read into results
"We worked hard in the preseason. There's a lot of things that go on in preseason that either people aren't aware of, they don't see the games and read the results," he said.
"Without making excuses but you basically trying to get players ready to play.
"I've always said you don't look at results all the time. When I went to Italy in 1990 I was scoring so many goals in preseason and a wise man said to me 'listen, don't worry about what happens preseason, all that matters is that first game' come first game I couldn't score to save myself."
The same can't be said about Del Piero, who produced two moments of magic to settle the issue against the Jets.
He opened the scoring himself on 36 minutes with some individual brilliance, dancing his way through some poor Jets defence before calmly sliding the ball across goalkeeper Mark Birighitti into the far corner of the net.
The 38-year-old then set up the match-sealer, winning the ball from Zenon Caravella on half-way and feeding Joel Chianese who lashed it home with a powerful rising strike.
While praising Del Piero's impact, Farina preferred to acknowledge the work of his entire side in the victory.
"There wasn't a player out there that didn't pull his weight," the Sydney boss said.
"We know we've got a lot of players in the side that have genuine quality.
"So if we can work hard and put the foundations there, give them the platform for that to be expressed we'll do well.
"Tonight the work ethic was sensational if they can give me that every week, it gives the players like Alessandro (Del Piero), Nicky Carle, Richie Garcia the chance to shine."
Jets coach Gary van Egmond had no doubt the superstar Italian was the difference.
"His touches out there were sublime," van Egmond said.
"There was many times he just helps things on...he reads the game so well.
"He's a very special player as we all know...I would have hated to come up against him when he was 25."
The Sky Blues travel to Brisbane next weekend to play the Roar, with Socceroos midfielder Brett Emerton a chance to return from a back injury.