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Nobody can doubt the importance of Tony Popovic for the Western Sydney Wanderers. He is not only the first manager of the club but also – no matter what will happen in the future – crucial in building the Wanderers.
Under his guidance the team has won the Asian Champions League and reached the A-League finals in three times. Wanderers fans love him. Rival fans respect him.
Having said this, it’s time to ask: Is he still the right man for the job?
There’s no need to be angry with this question. Football history is full of these kinds of moments. Sometimes an era must end to preserve the old glory.
When WSW are defeated Popovic loses more than just three points. Lately, his prestige as a coach is risked every weekend.
The recent run of poor results is something that nobody can ignore. The match against Newcastle Jets was proof that the team already has reached a peak under his guidance.
Both, WSW and Tony Popovic need a fresh start. The team needs to prove that they can be competitive without Poppa sitting on the bench.
And for the coach, it’s time to get out of his “comfort zone” and try to replicate in other (perhaps overseas) club what he did with the Wanderers.
Let’s review some facts. In the last four games (one for the FFA Cup and three for the A-League) the team conceded eleven goals. They lost two games – including the Sydney Derby – won one in the final minutes and tied another in the last seconds.
The departure of Nikolai Topor–Stanley leaves them not only without one of their more important players and captain, but also means the exit of, so far, of one of the most iconic footballers in the club history.
Jumpei Kusukami the only current player who can offer something interesting on the field.
Besides this, the last decisions of Tony Popovic have been questionable. The insistence of playing this season without a definite goalkeeper shows that the head coach isn’t seeing the whole picture. More incompressible is the fact that Kerem Bulut is still in the starting XI.
Western Sydney Wanderers are going through a difficult time, and perhaps Tony Popovic don’t see this. Perhaps he still believes that he can turn the things.
Maybe it’s time for a change. Maybe it’s time for someone else to take the job and rebuild this team.
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