Jean-Paul de Marigny talks like someone from Western Sydney. He even looks a bit like the hard-nut uncle in the corner at every backyard barbecue throughout the sprawling region.
That’s not a dig at JP. It’s just that if you asked Wanderers fans who better represents them – the bloke with the Hawaiian shirts and broad Bavarian accent, or the guy who talks about “being comfortable wif each ovver” – my guess is they’d pick de Marigny every time.
I grew up in Western Sydney. It’s a unique part of the world. And I reckon for the past few seasons under Josep Gombau and Markus Babbel, the Wanderers have lost their way a little.
It’s been years since they had a local at the helm. Hayden Foxe played his club football for Winston Hills – deep in the heart of Wanderers territory – and for six games in 2017 was Western Sydney’s interim coach following Tony Popovic’s sudden departure.
But when Wanderers chairman Paul Lederer and chief executive John Tsatsimas decided Gombau was a better fit, Foxe ended up heading as far west as it gets and joining Perth Glory.
So it’s ironic, then, that Glory are now coached by two men who know Western Sydney better than anyone: Popovic and Foxe.
That’s not to say you need to be a local to coach a team.
But in a place like Western Sydney – a vast, sometimes hard-scrabble region of multicultural communities – it often helps.
There’s a reason Mitch Duke has become a bit of a cult hero for the Wanderers, and it’s not just because he’s turned out to be their most effective player.
(Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
Duke, who grew up in Liverpool and started his career with former NSL club Parramatta Melita, embodies the strong work ethic and never surrender attitude of the region’s inhabitants.
It’s no surprise that he was named captain this season, nor that he’s scored the winning goal in both Sydney derbies.
Duke just gets it – and increasingly it’s looking like de Marigny does too.
The former Marconi defender has taken ten points from his four games in charge as Western Sydney’s interim coach, but more importantly he’s restored some self-belief to a team that looked shattered under Babbel.
And de Marigny’s decent start may give the Wanderers hierarchy pause for thought.
They’ve plumped for the big-name foreign coach twice now. Do they do so once again at the end of the season?
It’s not like the Wanderers have blown teams away under de Marigny. Their best performance was obviously that 5-2 win over Adelaide United, but on the whole they’ve been more solid than spectacular.
But what de Marigny has managed to do, where Babbel clearly failed, is bring his squad together and create a more close-knit playing group.
(AAP Image/Joel Carrett)
No one condones Daniel Georgievski’s send-off in the derby – his studs-up kick at Marco Tilio was as dangerous as it was stupid – but the fiery defender’s dismissal was a reminder that the Wanderers still care.
And they could hardly have a better chance to leapfrog Brisbane Roar in the standings and climb back into the top six as a result than when the two sides meet at Suncorp Stadium tonight.
The Wanderers smashed the same opponents 4-1 at Suncorp Stadium on this very weekend last year, although that was a very different Roar side.
But this is a different-looking Wanderers side under de Marigny too; one that doesn’t seem like folding at the first sign of pressure.
How they cope with Brisbane Roar’s resolute defensive structure will be the story of the match.
There are plenty of storylines in Australian football if you know where to look, and no doubt Western Sydney will feature prominently in the new Optus Sport series on grassroots football.
A migrant from Mauritius knows all about that kind of passion. His name’s Jean-Paul de Marigny, and he could be the answer to Western Sydney’s woes.
Buddy
Roar Rookie
I like your optimism but it goes much deeper than onfield performances and ticket prices. I’m on my way home now from Brisbane. There was about 100-120 of us up there although most that I spoke to either lived there or on the Gold Coast. A few seasons ago far more would have made the trek even if it was one of those silly car jointers that we’ve all done at some point!
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
Marigny played for Sydney City well before he got to Marconi , he was part of the Apia team they basically went broke and Marconi got all their players. I dont see him being any good but compared to Babbel he is light years ahead. Babbel he did a number of suspicious things and his facial expression when WSW equalised once was bizzare. Then his excuses after the match sounded like a cover up for something. I was wondering how he was admired that much and it seems thats is because he was German.
Kanggas2
Roar Rookie
Sam power Every club has bandwagoners No more or less at wsw
Samuel Power
Roar Rookie
Buddy, a lot of Western Sydney fans are casual supporters/bandwagoners. When there team is going bad, they don't bother going (especially with the high ticket prices at Bankwest). Once they are near the top again they'll start drawing 20k most weeks and they'll all be back.
Waz
Roar Rookie
Agreed. I can accept we’re attacking with busses not Ferrari’s ... but Fowler’s not parking anything.
Buddy
Roar Rookie
I’d be inclined to say that the only article you could seriously write on the RBB is their disappearing tricks or what happened to the group that used to make disparaging remarks about all other fans not being true fans/part timers/bandwagoners etc. How the tide has turned, but all power to those that do turn up along with around 8500 other rusted on fans.
Kanggas2
Roar Rookie
You need to park some Ferrari’s up the attacking end.
Waz
Roar Rookie
Fowler hasn’t “parked the bus” once - you just don’t appreciate what that term means. Against Glory in the first half his LB, RB, DM and CB were all caught offside - if that’s a “parked bus” then they’re trying to park it in their opponents goal. The reality is, Roar have become good at defending via a dual-6’a and three-at-the-back system but unfortunately aren’t very good in attack. It’s nothing more complex than that: Roar aren’t very good at attacking. (and the next time someone tells you three-at-the-back doesn’t work in Australian football, point then at Fowler’s Roar - it does work!)
Newie
Guest
Why is there no ROAR article on this subject? I know the posters have talked it to death, but at last we're seeing some discussion from FFA on this. Johnson talks a good game, let's hope with Scudamore on side they can make big improvements to the professional leagues in Australia.
jupiter53
Roar Pro
I thought it was a combination of SFC not being as sharp as they needed to be, and WSW defending with intensity and concentration. They were also ready to foul both to break up attacks, and to attempt to intimidate. And their central defenders played very well. Roll on the next derby!
Kanggas2
Roar Rookie
No worries
Kanggas2
Roar Rookie
It’s our game , First started at minmi by the great people of Newcastle. .. with suburban towns and teams called Wallsend Stockton jesmond Gateshead Hexham Morpeth etc .. must have been a northern English element among those miners . ( don’t let people from Wollongong tell you that they started the game in oz )
Nick Symonds
Guest
Don't forget CBS taking over Channel 10 on FTA and Optus moving into the mix as well. The AFL and NRL can't really expand much and even if they do they won't really gain that many more viewers. So, the A-League is the only one with real growth potential. Anything could happen. Is the sleeping giant about to finally awaken?
Midfielder
Roar Guru
I don't understand the context of your question... Maybe you have been living in a bubble somewhere... but leaving their home ground and poor form has not helped and a three year civil war ... However if you wanta consider 250k registered players, 5 former NSL clubs a couple of senior state league teams, and strong support from 4 huge councils being, Fairfield, Livepool, Blacktown & Parramatta, add five major associations then its a matter of connecting to both the fan and player base.... essentially a lack of skill by management ... which means having a local coach who understands the area is maybe not a dumb idea.
Roberto Bettega
Roar Rookie
we'd be in a very good place if we could get $300 million a year out of someone like DAZN
Roberto Bettega
Roar Rookie
Kangga I didn't rip into WSW, I said that I didn't think the RBB merited a whole article dedicated to it. I have no issue with an expose on Marigny.
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
Actually include Newy in that with all the miners that came to the Hunter Valley
IJ
Roar Rookie
Meh. What would they know?
Kanggas2
Roar Rookie
German coaches are popular on the red side of the Mersey I hear .
Kanggas2
Roar Rookie
This article deserves a better discussion . Where are all the people last week ripping into wsw .. Roberto , Sam, parasite ?? Where are the wsw fans , thought you were the heartbeat of football?? Marconi have produced a few good coaches over the years. How many ex Marconi have won the A league? Van egmond? Is that it ? Farina no ..