Another broken record…

Here we sit, anxiously anticipating possibly the most momentous game in the short history of the Western Sydney Wanderers, tasting the excitement in the air.

If you were a writer – even a very good one – could you have written a more amazing story than this? Even if you had, the editors would have filed in under the Fiction/Fantasy sub-genre. Who would have thought that a single game of football could have so much riding on it? Not just the game itself, 11 v 11 on the hallowed turf of Wanderland, but the bigger picture it paints of football, indeed of sport itself, in Australia.

First, before the starting whistle is blown, there is already the great culture and community pride that the Wanderers have created. Great things have already happened, great things have been done, all in the name of football. What kinds of things? Read this story for just one example.

Now, to the game itself.

This is the Sydney Derby. It is the newest local derby on the A-League calendar, but it is fast becoming one of the biggest features of the season. The score is even so far. The first went the way of the Sky Blues, the second to the Red and Black. In a strange twist, each team won at the other’s home ground.

But now, in the penultimate round of the regular season, this game stands as a clash of mammoth proportions.

A Win for Western Sydney, the over-achieving outsiders, will hand them the Premiership in their inaugural season, a mere 9 months since the club was nothing more than a scribble on a post-it note. A win will also guarantee a place in the Asian Champions League – where the working-class budget and ethos of the Wanderers will go up against some of the biggest budgets in world football. Last, but by no means least, it will secure bragging rights for the season over the “latte-sippers” from over yonder. It will also break the newest record in Australian football – set only last week – of consecutive wins in the top flight (NSL and A-League).

Once again the sub-plots are endless. Weatherboard, fibro and tin roofs versus high-rise and seven-figure mansions. The working class masses against the more elitist upper end of town. Nescafe versus Latte. Falcadore versus European import. The champagne import against his unfancied opposite number. Class struggle and the proletariat revolution returning to the streets of Western Sydney.

A win for the visitors will give them their best chance of making the cut-off – sixth place – almost guaranteed and at least give them a shot at a Grand Final run. They’d also take the bragging rights back to the moist, salty air of East Sydney.

A win for either side will also, most likely, result in the victorious fans being insufferable to the other – hopefully in a good-natured way – for weeks and months to come.

A draw will really suit neither – unless the Mariners suffer at the hands of Adelaide on Sunday night. The Mariners need to win to stand a chance at the Premiership. Even if the Wanderers lose – as terrible a thought as it is – an Adelaide win would also hand the Premiership to the new boys.

Popa and the lads hold destiny in their hands. They are the masters of their own fate, the title is there to be taken, cherished, and given a loving new home where it belongs.

Bravado and banter aside, it will not be a walk in the park. The Wanderers will go into the game missing some key players.

Tragically, Wanderers’ current reserve ‘keeper Jerrad Tyson has succumbed to a fractured vertebra, a recurrence of a previous injury, and is out for the rest of the season. Jerrad, the only original player yet to take the pitch, is possibly the nicest professional footballer you could ever hope to meet. Professional, personable, funny, and with endless time for the fans, he has given more to this club than can be measured. Jerrad, I have found it a personal honour to work with you, can’t wait until you’re back in the gloves, and I look forward to catching up soon. You’re a top bloke.

Carlos Saliadarre, NSWPL first-team ‘keeper and Captain of the mighty Blacktown Spartans, has been signed as an injury replacement. Carlos has been training regularly with Ante, Jerrad and legendary GK coach Ron Corry for most of the summer, as well as holding down a full-time job. Welcome aboard Carlos!

Aaron Mooy remains on the sideline following a brutal, yet completely unpunished, attack by Melbourne Heart midfielder-turned-thug Richard Garcia. Seeing him hobbling around in a full leg-brace was a sobering sight.

Youssouf Hersi, possibly one of the funniest characters in the A-League, sits out a one-game suspension for picking up too many yellow cards, and German youtube sensation Jerome Polenz is still recovering from a caulked thigh after last week’s game.

Happily, the newly re-signed Shinji Ono will be available for selection following his recent absence with hamstring tightness.

How Popa lines up the team is, often, anyone’s guess. These forced changes will make some differences to the shape of the team, but not their play. Whilst I would never divulge what I might or might not have seen, or not seen, during training, I can assure you that Popa has a plan.

Right wing options include, but are not limited to, Shannon Cole (the ultimate utility player), Kwabena Appiah-Kubi, Tarek Elrich or even Mark Bridge (imagine him on the right with Rocky Visconte making a debut on the left?). Discount nothing.

Iacopo La Rocca, a regular workhorse in the midfield but also a solid defender, would be a walk-up start in place of Mooy, although Jason “Tricky” Trifiro would be no more than a half-step behind him.

At right fullback, whilst Shannon Cole has seen favour recently, Tarek Elrich is also a dead-set contender. I like Cole, he’s such an adaptable player, although he does seem to lack a little for pace – especially evident last week against Golgol Mebrahtu. Elrich is a lot faster, and has a pinpoint cross from the deep.

The only player Sydney have who can be relied upon to be a threat is the magnificent (credit where it’s due) Alessandro Del Pierro. If he stays on his feet. Sydney’s defence has been leaky and eratic, you can never tell which team is going to turn up on the night. Farina has improved things greatly, but will it be enough? Up front, Griffiths, if he gets service, can be a problem, but that service hasn’t been as reliable as it should be.

My preferred lineup would be:

—————————Covic
-Elrich   Beauchamp   Topor-Stanley   D’Apuzzo
————–Poljak                La Rocca
—————————Ono
-Appiah-Kubi                                      Bridge
—————————Haliti

Bench: Saliadarre (GK), Cole, Perkatis, Kresinger

But what would I know? Popa is a genius and has forgotten more about setting up a team than I could ever know.

My tip? Wanderers 2-0 SydneyFC. Haliti and Bridge to score.

I do predict that the game will be hard-fought, not only on the pitch, but perhaps even moreso in the stands. This is also a battle of epic proportions. Passion and banter will flow – and hopefully no more – as the stadium erupts into a carnival of noise, colour, movement and excitement. I am looking forward to this as much as the game itself.

I will, however, not have one shred of sympathy for anyone who takes things too far and pays the price. I don’t care how passionate you are, how you might personally feel insulted by another or by past events, or how much you have had to drink. If you can’t control yourself, don’t come. Let tonight be about football, let it be about passion and enjoyment of The Beautiful Game. It’s not about you and your pathetic ego, whatever coloured shirt you’re wearing. Be polite, or be elsewhere.

Now let the game begin!

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