Round 1 Away @ WSW

[Forum Phoenix]

Hopefully they're just being overly cautious with him and we'll see him ready to go round 2.

Yeah hopefully, unless something has happened since they recorded the pod - that sounds likely.

Want Kim in because I think he’ll make a considerable impact, but nothing worse than bringing in players too quickly and reinjuring them.

 

[Rowdy]

BABBEL HITS OUT AT PAST SELFISH WANDERERS:


Western Sydney A-League coach Markus Babbel says there are no excuses for his revamped and relocated Wanderers this season, after hitting out at the selfishness of some of the players in his first year in charge.

German Babbel has supervised a drastic overhaul of the roster after last season, the second straight in which Wanderers failed to make the finals.

In a media conference on the eve of their first game of the season at home to Central Coast, the candid coach said the club wanted to give their supporters success as "they have been through many s*** things in the past".

Babbel said the club had targeted the finals and believed they had more quality and team spirit than last season's group.

"Last year was difficult because I couldn't do a lot with the team," Babbel said.

"To be fair it wasn't always easy for us coaches to get everything out because the frustration in the team, the relationship in the team wasn't the best.

"It was also for us very difficult to motivate them to push them because too many selfish players was in the squad.

"It's different now, so this is the reason why I have a good feeling because good characters are in there now.

"Players with the right reasons and not only the foreigners, also Matt Jurman came back, Dylan McGowan came back, they had opportunities to stay overseas.

'We will have a good squad, I'm very optimistic that it is so much easier now to work with them.

"The work ethic is much better than last year and no one is crying any more because the training is too hard."

'Asked in what way players behaved selfishly last season, a forthright Babbel said: "Only looking for themself, they don't 'give a f*** on the team."

With Babbel getting the players he wanted, the club returning to their rebuilt stadium and with it's Centre of Football up and running, he acknowledged there weren't the distractions of previous years and was happy to embrace the higher external expectations of his club.

'"Of course , it would be sad if no-one had expectations of us, this is normal, this is what we want," Babbel said,

"We have no excuses anymore, so it's only up to us now to bring our performance on the pitch

"Of course everyone knows how football works, you need a bit of luck on your side with injuries with decisions from the referee, little things.

"This is all important for us, we have now the best possibilities, we have a top training ground ,we have a top stadium, we have the crowds,

"I think many teams are jealous about our crowds, so now ti's up to us, and I like this kind of challenge.

"If I wouldn't have this here, trust me I would go home, because then you get bored, but the challenge is on, perfect, pressure, perfect."

 

[Rowdy]

ABSOLUTELY loving the candidness from WSW's Markus Babbel, the A-League needs MORE of it !

 

[Rowdy]

WANDERERS, MARINERS SEEK BIG A-LEAGUE LIFT:


Having flopped in the 2018-19 A-League season, Western Sydney and Central Coast have cause to be optimistic heading into their opening round clash.

Two of the NSW also-rans in last season's A-League will be out to justify higher expectations when they clash on Saturday in the opening round.

Western Sydney finished eighth, their lowest position, and Central Coast collected a second-straight wooden spoon, and a third in fourth seasons.

Both have reasons to be more optimistic going into Saturday's match at Bankwest Stadium, where the Wanderers play their first home game in more than three years.

Each has made several changes to their roster and look to be stronger than last season.

The Wanderers, however, lost Polish playmaker Radoslaw Majewski in late September to an ACL knee injury. Coach Markus Babbel said on Friday they might have to wait until the January transfer window before finding a quality replacement.

The Mariners reached the semi-finals of the FFA Cup under former Matildas coach Alen Stajcic, who accepted their head coaching job on a permanent basis after doing it for the final six rounds of last season.

"We know we can compete against anyone; we're not really scared of anyone," Stajcic said on Friday.

"I think we've just started seeing the green shoots of a little bit of belief and confidence and the ability to back themselves."

Babbel said he thought the Mariners were the better team in their FFA Cup semi-final loss to Adelaide United, until captain Matt Simon was sent off, earning him a suspension which would keep him out of Saturday's game.

"You saw there's a team who is fighting 90 minutes, who give everything they have on the pitch," Babbel said.

"I believe, if we bring our performance on the pitch, we are better than Central Coast. If not, then it's a tough game."

Central Coast will be without South Korean midfielder Kim Eun-Sun and defender Ruon Tongyik due to leg injuries.

Stajcic said he had a potent mix of players capable of causing havoc, including former Socceroo winger Tommy Oar, Daniel De Silva - back from a season-long loan to Sydney FC - and highly regarded youngster Sam Silvera.

"Sammy has had a good pre-season and has shown that he can compete at this level, but he's just a young player and he's obviously got a lot to learn and a lot to grow from," Stajcic said.

Babbel was optimistic captain and forward Mitch Duke, who was sidelined for several weeks of the pre-season, could play on Saturday, but suggested German defender Patrick Ziegler might not be ready yet, after recovering from a knee injury which had kept him out since January.

 

[pinklady]

There are possibly more. Can’t really say here.

Line up will be

Birrighitti

Ziggy....Fox....Rowles....Clisby

Gallifuoco....Stensness

DDS.... Duric

Murray...Oar

Bench: Pearce, McGlinchey, Majok, Nisbet, Silvera, Melling, Shabow (7 subs allowed - none to be omitted due to 3 of the starting XI being Under 23 - Clisby, Stensness and DDS)

Gallifuoco is still not 100% and would not surprise me fir him to withdraw, Duric drop back and Silvera come in.
Simon suspended, Tongyik and Kim injured and Miller (who has now been signed to a scholarship) not selected.
This line up and formation (4-2-2-2) did not go too well at training with the starting XI being smashed by the reserves and youth. Staj insistent that WSW will not be as effective as his non-starting players.

 

[Rowdy]

This line up and formation (4-2-2-2) did not go too well at training with the starting XI being smashed by the reserves and youth..

When ?
- in training this week for the WSW game or previously in pre-season ??

 

[Michael]

I struggle to believe that GG will start over silvera, pinklady.
Especially only just coming back from a muscle injury.

 

[turbo]

7 subs allowed - none to be omitted due to 3 of the starting XI being Under 23 - Clisby, Stensness and DDS

Winding back the clock for Clisby. And Stensness doesn’t count as he’s an NZ player. But Rowles, DDS and Nisbet in the match day squad are enough to fill our 3.

 

[pinklady]

When ?
- in training this week for the WSW game or previously in pre-season ??

training this week

 

[pinklady]

Winding back the clock for Clisby. And Stensness doesn’t count as he’s an NZ player. But Rowles, DDS and Nisbet in the match day squad are enough to fill our 3.

Stensness does count as he is eligible to be called up for Australian national teams. He has only played for NZ at U20 and U23 level - born in Australia and still eligible for Australia and NZ.

 

[turbo]

Stensness does count as he is eligible to be called up for Australian national teams. He has only played for NZ at U20 and U23 level - born in Australia and still eligible for Australia and NZ.

I stand corrected, I wasn’t sure what the cut off for switching allegiance was.

 

[pjennings]

Line up will be

Birrighitti

Ziggy....Fox....Rowles....Clisby

Gallifuoco....Stensness

DDS.... Duric

Murray...Oar

Bench: Pearce, McGlinchey, Majok, Nisbet, Silvera, Melling, Shabow (7 subs allowed - none to be omitted due to 3 of the starting XI being Under 23 - Clisby, Stensness and DDS)

Gallifuoco is still not 100% and would not surprise me fir him to withdraw, Duric drop back and Silvera come in.
Simon suspended, Tongyik and Kim injured and Miller (who has now been signed to a scholarship) not selected.
This line up and formation (4-2-2-2) did not go too well at training with the starting XI being smashed by the reserves and youth. Staj insistent that WSW will not be as effective as his non-starting players.

I'll assume that GG won't start and we will go something more like

--------------------Birighitti-------
Gordon-----Fox-----Rowles-------Clisby
-----------Stensness---Duric----------------
----------------------DDS---------------------------
McGlinchey------------------------------------Oar
---------------------Murray----------------------

occasionally morphing to

---------------------Birighitti-------
Gordon-----Fox-----Rowles-------Clisby
--------------------Stensness----------------
---------------DDS-----------Duric ----------
McGlinchey---------Murray---------Oar--

Pearce, Majok, Nisbet, Silvera, Melling, Shabow, GG

I know Staj has big wraps on Silvera but barring absolute shit weather I would be expecting a very big pro WSW crowd tonight and a fairly physical game. Keeping Silvera to come on against tiring defence after the sting is out of the game might be what we need. Not a lot of game changers on the bench otherwise

 

[midfielder]

When will Kim be fit.

 

[marinermick]

When will Kim be fit.

We got a few quality games out of Nik Mrdja

 

[Pirate Pete]

We got a few quality games out of Nik Mrdja

I've got a feeling you could be right in your thinking unfortunately

 

[moomoo]

Anyone know how good the roof coverage is in the new stadium? Will we get wet if the rain continues and are sitting near the front in the bottom tier?

 

[marinermick]

Anyone know how good the roof coverage is in the new stadium? Will we get wet if the rain continues and are sitting near the front in the bottom tier?

Most of the rain this morning. 23% chance of rain at 5pm and with that weather app says 0.0mm will fall.

 

[turbo]

I know Staj has big wraps on Silvera but barring absolute shit weather I would be expecting a very big pro WSW crowd tonight and a fairly physical game. Keeping Silvera to come on against tiring defence after the sting is out of the game might be what we need. Not a lot of game changers on the bench otherwise

Hopefully Silvera is better prepared for how physical things are after our last FFA cup game. You make a good point but the alternative option is start our strongest possible side which includes him and push for an early lead to take the voice from the crowd. If WSW were to be up by 2 I don’t think Silvera off the bench can do much to bring that back. If we happen to be up we can use our subs in a more defensive manner too.

 

[marinermick]

If he plays at all

 

[turbo]

Don’t give us the half in half out stuff Mick. Either share what you know or keep your secrets but don’t dangle them in front of us.