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The age-old conundrum of “what would you have taken before kick off” has never been so pertinently applied to a football team than the WSW Wanderers at this present moment.
In this case, the theory is tweaked to read “what would you have taken before inauguration” for a club that has captured the minds of fans from one of the most diverse sporting landscapes in the entire world.
The club’s early success is the envy of many in a burgeoning league. A premier’s plate in their first season; two grand final appearances and the crowning achievement of the Asian Champions League has had Wanderland in a frenzy of excitement.
That very success is the reason that fans of WSW are becoming increasingly disgruntled at the stuttering nature of their third A-League campaign that sees them rooted to the bottom of the ladder.
It might be a bit rich to suggest that such an expectation of continued success is warranted noting that many would have only dreamed of the silverware that sits proudly in Parramatta after 2.5 years.
Don’t forget WSW were only a few minutes away from a date with Real Madrid and the chance to show football royalty that they belong among the very best.
However, mediocrity is something that can never be settled for now following their scintillating start.
Reality has hit hard and there’s a very real chance that a cooking utensil will take its place alongside the ACL crown.
One of the reasons that can be attributed to the performance slump has been the departure of Ante Milicic from the coaching staff. The Wanderers have always been a well drilled defensive unit, setting up to contain and hit hard on the break. There’s no doubt that Milicic was influential in establishing the cohesiveness and efficiency that allowed WSW to take their chances in front of goal and win matches.
WSW now seem devoid of ideas going forward as players like Bridge and Haliti continue to strike blanks in front of goal, being included consistently ahead of Tomi Juric, for example.
Popovic’s rotation policy is another real sore point being questioned among the faithful. Consistency in line-up selection has been rare at best while the formation seems to remain the same win, lose or draw.
Perhaps the main reason behind the fall from grace has been the players that Popovic no longer has available to select.
Aaron Mooy has excelled at City and was desperately unlucky not to be a part of the Socceroos Asian Cup winning Squad.
Jerome Polenz is a fantastic pick up for the Brisbane Roar while Shinji Ono could still have played a massive part as an old head in a somewhat young squad.
Michael Beauchamp’s dumping from the 2014 grand final side against Brisbane was also mystifying. It’s no surprise that he doesn’t don the black and red anymore.
Vitor Saba’s existence as a Wanderers player was also a strange one. His talent was never in question. Whether he had an issue with the coach, his discipline, or if it was his general fit in the side is a question that deserves an answer. The biggest regret is Saba being a player on specialised visa requirement much like Adeleke, only to be released months later in a shroud of controversy and cryptic tweets as to the exact reason for his sudden departure.
Accountability is a key part of any job and this also applies to the manager of a football team when performances aren’t reflecting the expectation of the club’s biggest commodity – those who buy their seats regularly and proudly.
Borussia Dortmund is a perfect example of a club that has been turned on its head in recent times with a league position that requires a double-take when looking at the table.
Jurgen Klopp led his men to consecutive Bundesliga titles and a narrow Champions League final defeat to Bayern Munich only 18 months ago.
Since then, the possibility of relegation, however unlikely that may seem, has hovered over the heads of the side from the Westfalenstadion.
Three wins in a row in the league has lifted Dortmund mid-table to ease the pressure on Klopp. The club made it clear that his position is safe for the time being, and that his record holds him in high regard.
Achievements are to be respected, absolutely no doubt. WSW fans are grateful for the joy the club has brought them to date.
The Wanderers are desperate for a lift and to ease the pressure on Popovic, and the side needs to win and go on a run fast.
Whatever the reason for this season’s slump, the buck has to stop somewhere.
Reasons for dropped points have sounded more like excuses when there are obvious remedies like playing your best players week in week out and keeping rotation to a minimum to aid resuscitation.
Popovic is safe for now, though patience will continue to wear thin while responsibility treads water.
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