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Organised, beautiful chaos. Drums, scarves and vocals still rusty from a Sunday morning to remember.
Sydney Airport received the Wanderers treatment for the second time in the space of a month on Monday night.
The cameras may have been rolling and the eyes of the world (Saudi Arabia included) fixated, but this was an intimate moment between fans and their heroes.
It’s a club that hasn’t struggled for cult figures (see: Shinji Ono, Tony Popovic and even Jerrad Tyson). But undoubtedly the player most were eager to congratulate was Ante Covic.
The quick fire success of the Wanderers has been the lead angle for many media outlets this week. Two and a half years since inception, it was their inaugural AFC Champions League campaign.
So it’s worth taking a moment to appreciate the whirlwind that has been Covic’s mini-resurrection. Having been hung out to dry at Melbourne Victory in 2012, the 39-year-old would have gesticulated something severe about his future.
From the potential of following the traditional end of career move to Asia or the Middle East to the extreme of retirement.
The fact he was cast aside in favour of youngsters Lawrence Thomas and Tando Velaphi at Victory suggests then-coach Ange Postecoglou felt Covic’s best days were behind him.
He might have, too. All it took was a significant dose of belief from two parties – Tony Popovic and Covic himself. Popovic received some tame criticism for putting his faith in an old dog, yet he realised this one needed no new tricks because he had the ticker of a lion.
Shortly after penning a deal at Wanderland, alongside Labinot Haliti, Covic showed the exact kind of passion that has come to characterise the red and black jersey.
“I remember saying to myself, ‘one door shuts, another one opens’. It has opened more so than I actually thought,” he said.
“One thing in my career, particularly in the later stages, I’ve had big belief in my ability. The platform I set for myself at Victory was just a stepping stone, knowing I could do a lot more, and it has so far this year.
“Regardless of age, I feel I can improve every year. I’ve got the motivation and health behind me. I’m physically fit, so the sky is the limit for me.”
Western Sydney haven’t had to look far to find a figure worth doting. But with a strong palm here, a laser dodge there and some brilliant reflex saves in Riyadh, they may have found their first legend.
There has arguably not been a player more consistently significant for the Wanderers than Covic in the space of just two years.
His save from Mat Ryan’s penalty was the game changer in the club’s inaugural season, allowing Labinot Haliti to sink the Central Coast and gain control of the premiership race.
Throw in man of the match performances in every leg of the Champions League knockout stages and there is no denying the MVP award found itself in worthy hands. In every sense, Covic typifies the Wanderers’ burgeoning identity. The criteria to become a player at the club extends beyond football ability.
Popovic has an obsession with culture. It’s led to some potential stars being turned away, but has enabled his side to capture the imagination of Sydney’s west. A few on-field indiscretions aside, Wanderers pride themselves on being a family club and that’s never been more evident than on Monday night.
The fan-base is an eclectic mix of one-time A-League snubs, converts and a large bunch that were never taken aback by football until it entered their backyard.
The Champions League trophy is much more than a statue for worship, it’s pure acknowledgement of the power of football. Western Sydney, and monumental figures like Ante Covic, have changed the game in that part of the country and will have no plans to slow down any time soon.
So often goalkeepers are overshadowed by a late moment of brilliance down the other end. But this is Ante Covic’s time, perhaps the perfect book end to what will now be remembered as a dream career.
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