Western Sydney are expected to make it three signings of wantaway A-League players this week with Bernie Ibini set to join ex-Socceroo James Troisi and Scottish defender Ziggy Gordon at the Wanderers.
Ibini and Gordon’s exits from Newcastle and Central Coast respectively were both confirmed on Thursday in statements of very different tone from the two NSW clubs.
Shortly afterwards the Wanderers confirmed Gordon had signed on a two-year deal.
The Jets fired a parting shot at 28-year-old Ibini as he quit the club he’d only joined in February under former coach Carl Robinson.
The winger had asked to leave the Jets when Robinson left in October to take over the Wanderers before going on a period of stress leave when his request was denied.
On Thursday, however, the Jets confirmed Ibini’s exit after just six appearances for the team, announcing he had agreed to buy out the remainder of his contract.
“We want to have players at our club who want to be here and play for the jersey,” Jets chief executive Lawrie McKinna said.
Ibini’s exit comes with the Jets still to appoint a permanent replacement for Robinson and amid reports absentee owner Martin Lee was set to have his ownership licence stripped by Football Federation Australia after months of uncertainty.
The Mariners are also entering the new season under a cloud after owner Mike Charlesworth put them up for sale at the end of the last campaign but no buyer has been found at this stage.
Gordon is the latest confirmed arrival at Western Sydney, the 27-year-old joining Asian Cup winner Troisi after his sudden exit from Adelaide earlier this week.
James Troisi is also a new face at Wanderland (AAP Image/Jeremy Ng)
An experienced professional with time in his native Scotland and Poland, Gordon was an eye-catching performer in his first A-League season despite a disappointing season from the Mariners.
Despite recently signing a new deal with the Gosford-based club, Gordon said the lure of joining ex-Welsh international Robinson’s rebuild at the Wanderers was too great to turn down.
“I’m a winner and I’ll never apologise for it. I want to be among other winners,” he said.
Troisi’s Adelaide exit on Monday disappointed the Reds who felt they had made it clear the 32-year-old was a required player after he failed to nail a move in September when they allowed him to speak to other clubs.
But the Asian Cup winner defended his decision, telling the Sydney Morning Herald it had been made clear he was no longer wanted at Adelaide and his hometown club was being “childish”.
AndyAdelaide
Roar Rookie
and thats another problem with our game, transfer fees!!! i wouldn't feel so annoyed if we got some coin back for troisi, same as central coast and newcastle. We got nothing but sour grapes! tapping up happens all over the world, but generally the club receives a transfer fee. None of this 'mutual termination' or 'buying out' of contract
Fadida
Roar Rookie
They're only want away players because they were "tapped up" by WSW. All 3 happily signed contracts
pete4
Guest
Cox, Yeboah, Muller, Troisi, Ibini so WSW will certainly have options up front
Tigertown
Guest
Dear football gods, please allow the WSW poachers to receive the wooden spoon this year. Thank you.
Dennis
Guest
I expect at some point WSW will go after Steven Ugarkovic at the Jets. Knowing the connection through Bernie I suspect will lead to his change of club. All this surely makes the two clubs involved (Mariners and Jets) struggling to have a long term future. How long will the other owners prop up Newcastle?
Dennis
Guest
Whilst the WSW recruiting has been aggressive I think it says more about the dysfunctional state of CCM and Jets. With no ownership on the horizon for these two clubs, they will be roadkill for clubs prepared to recruit and spend. I can see both points of view but if these clubs cannot get their act together, and offer something to their communities and players, then surely they will fail. Has anyone ever made the case for a club ever to exist in Gosford? I am not sure on that one. However what I do know is that for this league to prosper here and in Asia, we need both the WSW and Victory to do well.
David Shilovsky
Expert
Their recruitment has been cynical, for sure. But to your point, with this being an important season for the league to hopefully show some signs of growth, Wanderers making it as far as possible into the finals is an important piece of the puzzle.
AndyAdelaide
Roar Rookie
wanderland aka the home of the sooks! “i didnt want to leave” troisi, “im a big baby” ibini and “im a natural winner” gordon (who’s won nothing in his career) all coached by a snake. Is this a league club number 4 or 5 for ibini now? this is the problem with our league, no player should play for that many clubs over the course of there a league career. The same old avarage player is constantly being recycled around the comp. I know the league needs a successful wanderers to prosper, but i hope this upcoming season they struggle badly