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With an Asian Champions League title and a Premiers Plate under his belt – along with three grand final appearances – Tony Popovic has fast become one of Australia’s most respected and talented football managers.
He has transformed Western Sydney Wanderers into an A-League powerhouse.
However with the club struggling on the field, one could forgive Popa for reminiscing of better days gone by. With some key figures moving from last season such as captain Nikolai Topor-Stanley and some poor recruitment, it seems that this season may prove too much for the Wanderers.
While no one is doubting Popovic’s resolve, the fairytale romance between WSW and their manger may be coming to an end.
One could argue that Popovic may have done all he can with WSW, having taken them to the very pinnacle of Asian football. He may be looking for a fresh challenge after nearly five consecutive seasons with the club which is considerably a lot more than the modern football manger.
It would be foolish to suggest that Popovic isn’t largely responsible for the rough season the Wanderers are having. While occasionally having a large number of players leave for clubs with more money is not uncommon in the A-League, a lack of quality in the replacements and the failed signing of Kerem Bulut have left WSW toothless and struggling.
Reinforcements are arriving in the form of Terry Antonis and the much needed European number nine rumoured to be signing very soon however it may to late for Popovic’s men. The Wanderers will have to part with their inaugural manger eventually; perhaps this may be sooner than later if problems persist.
An aspect of Popovic that would certainly appeal to any would-be-suitors is his ability to create a great culture in a club. Having built WSW from scratch Popovic instilled a winning mentality into his squad and a fierce determination. These are elements that are absolutely crucial to a club trying to find its feet and these ideals will stay with WSW long after Popovic has left.
These aspects of his coaching would be huge requirement for any club looking for a fresh start or perhaps even a brand new club looking for some solid foundations on which to build their empire.
With two new A-League clubs set to join in 2018-19 any potential clubs would surely bend over backwards to have Tony Popovic as manger.
With hopefully more time and better organisation than the Wanderers were afforded, Popovic would be the ideal man to lead a new club into the bright lights of the A-League and would be able to comfortably name his price to any interested parties whether that be Canberra, Melbourne or even another Sydney-based club.
Melbourne City could also be a potential stop in Popovic’s career, however recent rumours are that a former Premier League manager and FA Cup finalist could be on the cards which would rule out Popa. However the City Football Group would be amiss to completely disregard the ex-Socceroo who could also be used at one of the various clubs that City Football own and with the financial clout provided could be an interesting venture for Popovic.
However despite potential suitors locally, Popa could also have clubs from overseas who could be casting an envious gaze towards Western Sydney. Winning the ACL has given him a reputation in Asia of a highly skilled coach can has proven he can create teams that win silverware.
A manger that has won the ACL and has considerable experience in the competition would be very interesting to larger Asian teams who place success in the ACL very highly in their requirements for a successful season.
With the large volumes of money that are currently being poured into Asian football at the moment especially in China, we could see our very own Popa managing the likes of Oscar and Carlos Tevez in the near future.
He could perhaps win the ACL again which would surely be a interesting challenge for the WSW manger.
However WSW fans can breathe easy as their manager isn’t jumping ship just yet barring some extraordinary coaching merry go round. Perhaps we’ll know more after their ACL campaign or maybe after the board begin talks about a new contract if they do at all.
It would seem foolish to sack Popovic based on the results of this season and he no doubt has the backing of the whole team behind him.
Be warned WSW fans. Nothing lasts forever.
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