Popovic signs with western Sydney A-League
The A-League’s new western Sydney franchise will unveil Tony Popovic as their inaugural coach on Thursday after finalising a deal.
It’s understood Popovic signed after final talks with Football Federation Australia officials on Wednesday, putting the first major block in place as the team prepares to enter the competition in 2012/13.
The appointment, believed to be on a four-year deal, will be announced at a media conference at 1200 (AEST) on Thursday.
It comes after Popovic quit his post and was formally released as assistant coach of Crystal Palace in England, and knocked back an offer from Sydney FC earlier this week.
Sydney FC installed Ian Crook as their coach on Monday.
After assistant coaching roles with Sydney FC and Crystal Palace, Popovic is set for his first head coaching job.
Popovic will be charged with the considerable task of building the club’s squad from scratch and will turn his immediate focus to player recruitment.
Adelaide’s former A-League player of the year Marcos Flores, Carlos Hernandez, Issey Nakajima-Farran, Tarek Elrich, Kasey Wehrman, Ali Abbas, Michael Thwaite, Adam Griffiths and Ante Covic are among players to have been linked with the club.
Popovic will also be able to draw on his coaching and playing experiences playing in England, Asia and the Middle East in recruiting a squad.
Sydney-born Popovic started his playing career with Sydney United before spells with Japan’s Sanfrecce Hiroshima, Crystal Palace, Qatar’s Al Arabi and Sydney FC.
He was capped 59 times for Australia in 12 years and was part of the Socceroos squad at the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
The new franchise will likely wait to announce a team name with a series of public forums settling on Athletic, Wanderers, Strikers, Wolves and Rangers as the leading contenders with the team colours tipped to be red, black and white.
© AAP 2013- Explore:
- A-League, football, Western Sydney A-League
May 17th 2012 @ 3:32pm
Punter said | May 17th 2012 @ 3:32pm | Report comment
He should held out a bit longer, might have got the Liverpool job, now that King Kenny got the axe.
May 17th 2012 @ 4:08pm
Midfielder said | May 17th 2012 @ 4:08pm | Report comment
Lyall Gorman has been appointed Executive Chairman of the new club….
http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/news-display/lyall-gorman-appointed-chairman-of-new-sydney-club/47378
May 17th 2012 @ 4:29pm
ItsCalled AussieRules said | May 17th 2012 @ 4:29pm | Report comment
Its now official Poppa is head coach of West Sydney. Worst kept secret since Palace announced it on Monday.
Gorman is CEO and they have set a target of June 25 to get a squad together and training for the start of the season on 5 October.
They have set their sights on Israel Folau as their first big name signing.
May 17th 2012 @ 5:06pm
Midfielder said | May 17th 2012 @ 5:06pm | Report comment
ICR
Wrong on Israel …. a huge secret is that Gary Ablett is moving from the Fold Coast and changing codes…
May 17th 2012 @ 5:21pm
The Cattery said | May 17th 2012 @ 5:21pm | Report comment
I’m not sure if these boys can play the game, but let me tell you, this Brazilian can play the game and could walk into any A-League team:
He’d be a smash hit.
May 17th 2012 @ 5:16pm
Kasey said | May 17th 2012 @ 5:16pm | Report comment
ICAR,
actually it could be a interesting move(straight out of the Collingwood handbook IIRC) to get Izzy along to a training session, hold up a scarf and kick the ball back n forth with the squad. the media seems to love the guy and perhaps it would be a shot across the bows of those idiot code warriors. Tim Cahill is in country as of today, be nice to get him and Bozza signed up as ambassadors for the new team if possible. Bozza was very impressive at the fan forms he attended, spoke very passionately about not only the game but the region, watching the footage, you could see the crowd warming to him very easily.
So now Lyall Gorman is out as Head of the A-League and the search begins to replace him I guess. Wonder if former PFA head Brendan Schwab is interested?
May 18th 2012 @ 1:50pm
ItsCalled AussieRules said | May 18th 2012 @ 1:50pm | Report comment
The FFA would have to pay Demetriou $7 million for Izzy to do any publicity shots for the West Sydney Tigers – go you Tigers, watch them Roar with Poppa holding the whip.
May 17th 2012 @ 5:12pm
Midfielder said | May 17th 2012 @ 5:12pm | Report comment
The clubs theme song has been chosen …
May 17th 2012 @ 5:17pm
Kasey said | May 17th 2012 @ 5:17pm | Report comment
Nice… Has terrace chant potential.
May 17th 2012 @ 9:02pm
Stevo said | May 17th 2012 @ 9:02pm | Report comment
Love the stuff but being a Melbourne band it may not travel well in the wilds of western Shydney. How about getting Paul Keating to resurrect something from his obscure Bankstown band The Ramrods? Got to be a gem hidden there somewhere.
May 18th 2012 @ 12:08am
The Cattery said | May 18th 2012 @ 12:08am | Report comment
Good nick name too: the West Sydney Dingoes.
Dingoes are resourceful, cunning, survive harsh conditions, hunt in packs, and would eat their own babies to achieve success.
May 17th 2012 @ 11:33pm
Western Sydney Boy said | May 17th 2012 @ 11:33pm | Report comment
Great appointment – as one of many western sydney people at these forums, the overwhelming sentiment was to get popovic into the role…a local boy, who is passionate about growing the game and most importantly he wants to maintain the region’s success of transforming local talent into socceroos.
May 18th 2012 @ 1:54pm
ItsCalled AussieRules said | May 18th 2012 @ 1:54pm | Report comment
Certainly a great move and probably coudn’t have picked a better coach to kick off the team – grew up in Sydney’s west, young, talented and has a big future in front of him – just like West Sydney and the A-League.
Certainly the credibility stocks of West Sydney and the FFA have turned around amazingly in the past few weeks and they’ve done an incredible job to turn things around from the Palmer and Tinkler attacks.
Lyle Gorman is a very good sports administrator and I hope they sell West Sydney soon enough and he returns to the helm of the A-League.
He will be FFA Chairman when Lowy retires.