Having tied up foundation midfielder Terry McFlynn for another three seasons, Sydney FC are hoping the core of their A-League-leading squad will follow suit in the coming weeks.
The Northern Ireland midfielder on Wednesday put pen to paper on a new deal that will keep him with the Sky Blues until the end of the 2012-13 A-League season.
McFlynn's form this season has been a key factor in Sydney's rise under Vitezslav Lavicka and he was one of 11 first-team players due to come off contract at season's end.With the likes of John Aloisi, Simon Colosimo, Clint Bolton, Stuart Musialik, Steve Corica and foreigners Karol Kisel and Stephan Keller all set to come off contract, McFlynn's retention could spark a wave of contract renewals at Moore Park.
"In this moment it (contract renewals) is a process and I think we will continue in the next weeks and months," said Lavicka, who himself is only contracted until the end of this season."It's very important to bring the right players, to keep and re-sign for the future.
"Especially for Tezza, it's very important we re-sign him, as he can bring his quality for the team's success."McFlynn, 28, has proved one of Sydney's best servants in his 79 A-League appearances with the club, which included Sydney's championship win in season one.
The former Queens Park Rangers midfielder said he had no hesitation in inking a new deal and hoped to finish his career at Sydney."It didn't take anything to convince me at all," McFlynn said.
"As soon as the club offered me the contract I was ready to sign."I've never hidden the fact that I love the club.
"I've always wanted to finish my career here and hopefully this is another step towards it."McFlynn looks the most likely candidate to replace Corica as Sydney's captain in the long term but said he hadn't thought about the role.
But he did hope his re-signing would encourage some of his teammates to do the same."We're really getting things together on the park and we want to keep the squad together," McFlynn said.
"Everyone gets along, I think that shows in the way we've played."Sydney will be out to maintain top spot when they face an out-of-form Gold Coast United at Skilled Park on Saturday night.
