Aurelio Vidmar, the only coach to guide an A-League team to the Asian Champions League grand final, says Western Sydney have what it takes to go one step further and lift the trophy.
The Wanderers are just one game away from joining Adelaide United as the only Australian sides to qualify for an ACL final.
After holding FC Seoul to a scoreless draw in South Korea earlier this month, Western Sydney enter the second leg of the semi-final at Parramatta Stadium on Wednesday in the box seat.
Vidmar, who now coaches the Young Socceroos, got the Reds to the ACL’s biggest stage in 2008 before they fell at the final hurdle 5-0 to Japanese giants Gamba Osaka.
But he says he has no doubt the Wanderers and coach Tony Popovic can better the effort and conquer Asia.
“I can see them actually winning it. They’re playing the type of football that you need to win in Asia,” Vidmar told AAP on Friday.
“Just like what we did, we soaked up more pressure than most teams and they play a good counter attacking game and they’ve been very successful with it until now.
“Yes they still have a very difficult game on Wednesday but they’ve been super strong at home so I’m confident they’ll get through.
“From what I’ve seen so far, they’ll get to the final and can go on to win it.”
Western Sydney have overcome what seemed insurmountable odds to get to the semis of the ACL – losing several key players since the group stage, playing Asia’s biggest and best sides out of season and surviving a host of dirty tactics from Guangzhou Evergrande fans in their quarter-final.
Vidmar says the key to their resilience is simple – a strong leader and belief.
“Popa drives it all and he gets the players to buy into it. You can see that they’re all desperate to be successful and they have such a strong belief,” he said.
“With every team you need a strong leader with strong beliefs and he gives them that.
“We came off a poor season but started to get a couple of wins in the Champions League and all of a sudden the momentum and the belief started to grow.
“You can see the Wanderers are in a position now when they go onto the park they think they can win every game.”
Should Wanderers get past FC Seoul next week they’ll face either Al Ain, from United Arab Emirates, or Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal in the two-legged final on October 25 and November 1.
Vidmar says having knocked out the ACL champions Guangzhou Evergrande, the Wanderers would be able to beat either team.
And while they may be a infant club playing in back-to-back A-League grand finals will hold them in good stead.
“Being on a big stage won’t be new to them,” he said.
“These sides from the middle east are always very good technically and have very quick players. They play an open game and always have a couple of foreigners that they pay a lot of money for who help make a difference.
“But the Wanderers have gotten past a much more difficult team in Guangzhou, so I think they’re in a good place.”
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