Wanderers dive into the deep end

The Western Sydney off-season has been one of startling renewal. After two successful seasons, the club has overseen a verifiable exodus of faces, from all levels of hierarchy.

FFA’s management of the club has been overhauled by a consortium of millionaires – with the board of directors entirely replaced, and CEO Lyall Gorman stepping down for the incoming Paul Lederer.

Their primary challenge is to maintain the strong connection forged with the community, while ensuring that the Wanderers have the resources and management needed to challenge on all three fronts: the A-League, Asian Champion’s League and FFA Cup.

Tony Popovic’s assistant management, Ante Milicic has also left the club, to join Ange Postecoglou in charge of the Socceroos.

While Popovic has been largely credited for the Wanderers’ incredible success, Milicic’s input alongside can not be understated. His appointment as assistant manager in the World Cup is only one clear indication of his capability, and many should expect him to return to the A-League at some point, as a head coach.

Arguably the most important of those “packing their bags”, however, are the ten players released and moving on from the club.

Inaugural captain Michael Beauchamp, inaugural marquee Shinji Ono, foreign stars Jerome Polenz and Youssouf Hersi as well as fan favourite Jerrad Tyson are among ten players released by the club. The Western Sydney Wanderers of next season will simply not be the same.

The club has plenty of room to make signings. Visa spots open the way for more talented players in the vein of Polenz and Hersi, while importantly, the open marquee spot holds endless possibilities. Popovic might look to bring home talented Australian blood too, as he did with Spiranovic last season – perhaps using Spiranovic’s success (and eventual inclusion in Australia’s World Cup starting lineup) as temptation.

There are no doubts that the Wanderers can forge a strong team once more, as they did under more difficult conditions in their inaugural season. Popovic has even planned smartly for the future, signing “Asian Champions League players” outside of the cap last season, who have now been integrated into the full squad after a full year of working with the team.

The problem, however, is that the Wanderers’ new-look squad will have very little time to prepare for the season ahead – thrown straight into the deep-end. The recently released A-League draw has delivered them an exceedingly difficult opening four rounds, which could make or break their season.

Their opening fixture sees them travel to Melbourne to take on the Victory. Melbourne will be invigorated by the signing of Besart Berisha and the renewal of Gui Finkler’s contract. If they can capture James Troisi from his Italian overlords, then they will have one of the league’s strongest attacking lineups (on paper, at least).

The second fixture could not be any more challenging: a Sydney Derby in Sydney FC’s stadium. Sydney FC are also developing a strong team, capturing the likes of Bernie Ibini and A-League all-time goalscorer, Shane Smeltz. Their open marquee spot must be filled by big shoes, having most recently been home to Del Piero. While having big names isn’t always a winning formula for Sydney FC, perhaps most importantly, they have attained Graham Arnold and his performance manager, Andrew Clarke.

Western Sydney have a home game, finally, but their opponents will be no easy beats in the Central Coast Mariners. The Wanderers have an on field rivalry with the Mariners, who they beat out to the premiership, but lost the championship to in 2012/13. Since then, the sides have endured gritty draws or marginal victories, with neither side quite stamping any sort of dominance over the other. The Mariners endured their transitional season last season, and will be hoping to build on what was a relatively impressive showing.

Round four only gets harder for the Wanderers, taking on last year’s premiership and championship winning side, the Brisbane Roar, with memories of letting the grand final slip undoubtedly fresh in mind. There are no signs to indicate that Brisbane will be any less potent this season than last. Although losing Berisha, they are heavily scouring Europe for a suitable replacement, and have had time to make a well researched decision in this regard.

The first four A-League rounds will be incredibly difficult for the Wanderers, but that is not the only competition they must manage. A whole two months earlier than the A-League, the refurbished Wanderers side will have to take on the kings of Asia, Guangzhou Evergrande, in the Asian Champions League quarterfinals.

Guangzhou are the reigning champions of the competition, and boast a squad full of Chinese national team players and international stars such as the Italian Alessandro Diamanti. The Wanderers will have a broken apart squad, with barely time for new faces to learn their team-mate’s names.

Popovic will have to work the miracles he has become famous for, but this has much potential to end disastrously.

Around the same time, the Wanderers will have to navigate the inaugural FFA Cup Round of 32. Popovic might choose to play a team full of youngsters, or he might use this opportunity to blood new signings. Both are risky propositions. What can be sure, however, is that the Wanderers, like others, will want badly to win the first ever FFA Cup.

Friendlies in and between these fixtures will be useful, but against semi-pro state league teams, there is only so much learning to be had

Managing the influx and integration of new players throughout this incredibly difficult start of the season will be far from easy. There is much potential for tragedy, but Wanderers fans will have learnt long ago not to doubt their team or Tony Popovic.

Neutrals will watch eagerly, and see just what the Western Sydney Wanderers are made of.

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