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One section of Parramatta Stadium was eerily vacant on Saturday afternoon with the vibrant RBB absent in protest.
Yet the real action for the day came on the field, proving that the show will proceed with or without the fans’ vocal support.
A-League supporters are a huge part of what makes Australian football the spectacle it is and their initial boycotts were warranted, but they will never be the premier entertainers.
That much was evident during the Western Sydney Wanderers’ 2-1 victory over Brisbane Roar, which featured some beautiful Spanish artistry on both sides of the pitch.
Western Sydney and Brisbane – two teams written off by many during pre-season – have emerged as genuine trophy contenders in one of the most competitive A-League seasons witnessed in recent years.
Tony Popovic has completely reinvented the Wanderers, proving he is no one-trick pony when it comes to the football pitch. He has built a squad roughly from scratch, the second time he has done so, and Wanderers 2.0 is looking like an upgrade.
Popovic has been defined during his three years in the A-League as a long-ball merchant, focused on defensive resilience with a penchant for quick counter-attacks.
Yet a style that was imposed due to circumstance and personnel has been discarded, Popovic taking advantage of winding-down contracts to prove where his tactical allegiances lie.
The off-season was intriguing for Wanderers fans, with one of the biggest squad overhauls the A-League has seen. Chief executive John Tsatsimas went on a tour of Barcelona and Popovic handpicked the arrivals of Spaniards Andreu, Dimas Delgado and Alberto.
The goal was clear, with the Wanderers implementing a new high-pressing system focused on winning possession and controlling tempo.
It was a huge diversion from previous campaigns and was always going to take time to enforce. A fourth Spaniard, therefore, has been the most vital addition for Popovic in his quest for success.
Assistant coach Andres Carrasco, who reportedly attracted interest from Paris Saint-Germain in winter, was lured to Western Sydney in what can only be regarded as a coup. His time with Barcelona’s famed La Masia has undoubtedly assisted the Wanderers’ transition to a possession-based game.
The midfield drives this team, with Andreu acting as a metronome through which the Wanderers’ style is dependent on. His ability in tight spaces was also evident as he launched Western Sydney’s attack for the opening goal from his own penalty area.
Complementing Andreu is the more creative guile of Dimas Delgado and a rejuvenated Mitch Nichols, who alongside Aaron Mooy is one of the A-League’s most impressive local midfielders this season.
A possession-based game, however, also depends on defence, and Alberto’s gradual introduction alongside Nikolai Topor-Stanley is the final piece, providing the Wanderers with a calm, ball-playing presence at the back.
Topor-Stanley’s long-ball no-nonsense game – unfairly derided in some quarters – partnered with Alberto’s more measured approach has promise. It evokes memories of Topor-Stanley’s role alongside the more graceful Ljubo Milicevic at the Newcastle Jets.
Meanwhile, Popa’s decision to release Ante Covic and put his faith in Andrew Redmayne has not been as foolhardy as first appeared. That could also come down to another off-field acquisition, with Redmayne clearly revelling under the tutelage of goalkeeping coach Zeljko Kalac.
How the Wanderers progress this season, however, may still depend heavily on their final import, Federico Piovaccari. The criticism aimed at the Italian has been unwarranted, as a striker is always the first to suffer when a team is transitioning between two styles of play.
As the Wanderers’ passing game develops, the quality service delivered to Piovaccari will increase, and I’ve seen enough to get the impression that he will improve as the system improves. His combination with the red-hot Romeo Castelen holds much promise.
Six wins on the trot says it all, and Popovic is continuing to rival Ange Postecoglou as Australia’s brightest manager. With his connections, another successful season in the A-League could see him depart for Europe in the near future.
Meanwhile, John Aloisi has reinvented himself instead of his team, burgeoning a reputation that was tarnished during an early foray into management with Melbourne Heart. Not only has he managed to reinvigorate the Roar’s high-pressing, high-intensity attacking game, he has instilled defensive steel too.
Aloisi inherited a stable squad, which was already familiar with a possession-based style, yet two of his off-season signings have been instrumental in the Roar rediscovering their flair.
Brisbane’s control of possession has been defined by Spaniard Corona’s arrival in Queensland. His passing, ability to switch play and vision made him the standout import from his first A-League appearance. How the Roar have managed to fit him under the salary cap is impressive.
Together with Matt McKay and Dimi Petratos, one of the most improved players from last season, Corona forms the basis of the Roar engine room. Up front, Thomas Broich is back in form and linking beautifully with both Jamie Maclaren, pin-pointed as a Golden Boot contender in The Roar‘s season preview, and Brandon Borrello.
Maclaren was not afforded the game time he deserved at Perth, and consistent minutes have seen him explode. His equaliser against the Wanderers was a thing of beauty, set free brilliantly by a falling Broich before clipping a tidy finish over Redmayne under pressure.
A Socceroos call-up must be close.
Yet the biggest surprise has been Aloisi’s ability to install an effective, solid and organised defensive system while maintaining the Roar’s attacking verve. They have the equal third-best defence in the comp.
Daniel Bowles is the A-League’s most improved player, and one of this season’s top performers. The gangly central defender has been solid alongside veteran Jade North, and combines a calm influence on the ball with a measured, cool approach when faced with rampaging attackers.
His last-gasp tackle to nip the ball from between Mark Bridge’s legs on Saturday was one example of his classy approach to defending.
A-League fans are also waiting to see more from the Roar’s second Spanish connection, Javi Hervas. The 26-year-old has yet to receive significant minutes to showcase his ability, but has been impressive in limited cameos.
Given complete control at Brisbane, Aloisi has shown that the Melbourne Heart gig either came too early or under the wrong environment. While he was provided the basis of a winning formula at Brisbane, albeit one from two seasons ago, he has made the necessary changes and additions to turn the Roar into a quality side.
The spectacle on Saturday between the Roar and Wanderers was the result of two sides intent on playing football, allowed to do so thanks to both the personnel on and off the field. Brisbane were arguably the better side over 90 minutes, though Western Sydney nicked it with a moment of brilliance.
In the 79th minute, with his back to goal, Nichols produced a fantastic turn on Jack Hingert and hit an unstoppable shot past Jamie Young. It was a worthy winner in a close-fought contest.
Excellent recruitment, intelligent tactical tweaks and inevitably good man-management has both sides purring towards finals football, and in such a competitive league either can realistically hold ambitions for both a premiership and championship assault.
Discarded by some critics before a ball had been kicked, watching both Popovic and Aloisi implement entertaining, cultured football is a promising sign for Australian football.
The empty seats in the stands will dominate most headlines surrounding this game, yet A-League fans could be looking back on this fixture come May 1 when scouring the head-to-head statistics between the 2015-16 grand final opponents. It would be a worthy season finale.
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