The Western Sydney Wanderers can draw many parallels with the movie Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.
They have their own version of Charlie, who won a golden ticket – in this case it’s the coach Carl Robinson.
Willy Wonka owned the chocolate factory. His modern-day counterpart at the Wanderers is also an eccentric businessman, Paul Lederer.
The chocolate factory itself is equivalent to what Wanderers fans have dubbed ‘Wanderland’ – a place where anything is possible.
Just like the chocolate factory itself, bizarre things happen frequently.
Daniel Margush has just come off a career-best season, where he firmly established himself as the club’s main goalkeeper and was unlucky not to receive a national-team call-up.
In a move that has shocked many, the Wanderers have announced a visa goalkeeper signing in Tomas Mejias. Mejias will immediately be thrust into the number one spot, while Margush will be questioning how he is sitting on the pine now.
Coach Carl Robinson was incredibly lucky to have kept his job after the Wanderers missed out on the finals series last year – in particular when they spent big and the coach was able to get the players he wanted.
(Photo by Ira L. Black/Corbis via Getty Images)
This current off-season has already seen a huge financial outlay on John Koutroumbis, Tomer Hemed, Adama Traoré, Ramy Najjarine, Terry Antonis, Keijiro Ogawa, Rhys Williams, Dimitri Petratos and Tomas Mejias.
The pressure will be ramped up even more on Robinson, who knows that the club hierarchy are expecting success given the riches provided.
Robinson by all reports will only have the first six matches this season to have the Wanderers near the top. If not he will be out of the notorious hot seat.
The coach is already having to navigate a playing group this off-season that want to figuratively skull from the fizzy lifting drinks room inside the chocolate factory, when they know they shouldn’t.
Like Veruca in the movie, several players from the current Wanderers squad have entered the nut room after seeing the squirrels and are refusing to get COVID-19 vaccinations, according to reports.
As the first six games are in NSW this doesn’t pose a problem, but what will happen when the team has to travel interstate? Will these players be thrown down that same chute as Veruca?
Tomer Hemed appears to have signed without any research being done as his politically-charged goal celebrations have already agitated fans on social media.
Western Sydney has a large Palestinian population and Hemed will need to tone down his antics. Otherwise, he could easily fall into the chocolate river and be sucked up the pipe like poor Augustus.
Kwame Yeboah has cut a disillusioned figure for the past season, but like Violet in the movie, he has been chewing gum in the inventing room and sensationally quit the club to embark on a new career as a male model.
The Wanderers are part of a group that is also helping financially prop up A-League rival, the Newcastle Jets.
Paul Lederer has been accused of using his Willy Wonka-like influence over Newcastle, by having multiple players and even the coach jump ship to Wanderland.
Then there is the problem with the workers of the chocolate factory, the Oompa-Loompas – the ones who make the factory function correctly.
(Photo by Speed Media/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The Wanderers fans are the Oompa-Loompas, although not in terms of looks and size, but through their hard work and unwavering support for the club throughout the years.
They have been targeted by police and security season upon season, but the Wanderers need their Oompa-Loompas for the chocolate factory to work seamlessly.
The club and its loyal supporters hope to stand tall at season’s end when they traverse the great glass elevator.
Outsiders looking in feel as though they will shrink like Mike with the teleporter.
All signs point to another crazy season in store at the chocolate factory also known as Wanderland.
Gabe F
Roar Rookie
How did Newcastle let petratos get away? He was so good!
josh
Guest
The club doesn't want the current fanbase, they've actually come out and said as much - it's all on record. They want to set the club up financially so they don't have to rely on memberships for an income stream. That's why there's a McDonalds and 7/11 out the front of the WSW training base.
josh
Guest
None.
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
there are still those that are going to fight it to the end. Look at the 34 Victorian police and that rabble in fluro shirts that ran amok in Melbourne. One half might be a minority but that minority have the potential to reek havoc through not being vaccinated. My hope is that the governance bodies and business interests stay the course, hold their stance and say "no vax, no entry". No entry to football matches, concerts, flights, cinemas etc. As I said this thing kills, and what if an anti-vaxxer is responsible for a small child contracting the virus, will they show remorse then?
Popavalium Andropoff
Guest
When I’d heard WSW had signed Hemed I thought “you’ve got to be kidding me!” Do Lederer and the current brass at Wanderland not understand their fan base???
Tigertown
Guest
Extra, extra... Read all about it... WSW are back! Sort of... The Wanderers have been featured in the new 10 Play A-League promo. But one certain team hasn’t been featured at all.
Buddy
Roar Rookie
AA - plenty of us thoroughly disillusioned with the running of the club, appointments and playing staff and despite the noise made about scheduling favouring eastern states, we were not happy with it either...short notice and unable to get to midweek games that clashed with work and the treatment of fans warrants a whole article on its own but it probably is getting worn out as a subject. It isn't just the RBB though it is all around the place. The club argued a strong case that the new stadium etc was going to fix all the issues. Unfortunately, they are systemic and they haven't begun to face up to them. If they had, the boardroom would look quite different. My family and friends have voted with their feet and not renewed this season and we occupy some expensive real estate in the ground. We will get tickets for the games we want to see and if allowed to travel we will be "terrorizing the nation" as seems to be the thoughts each time we go somewhere in red and black. I don't see any meaningful changes coming anytime soon although you could start singing "now here's to you Mr Robinson, Lederer loves you less than you will know, ho ho ho" I can't comment on Willy Wonka - never sat down or had the inclination to watch it although I loved Gene Wilder (RIP).
NoMates
Roar Rookie
Wanderers are ok, prefer them then SFC. The club has made some bad decisions but they are slowing ironing out the wrinkles. Can/Will they do well this season? I believe they should be above Sydney FC and Roar in a top 6 finish.
Tigertown
Guest
Zoolander, maybe?
Marcel
Guest
I think the colon as a separator makes it more energetic graphically ....and it makes it explicit they are subsets of the one entity. Esoteric and unnecessary, Yes......but I get paid to worry about that sort of thing, so maybe forgive me.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Roar Guru
Why anyone in the A-League would waste a visa spot on a goalkeeper given the local quality on offer is beyond me.
Nick Symonds
Guest
Bulut - "For someone that hasnt played in a few years he looks to still be in pretty good shape physically" - He could always take up male modelling like Kwame Yeboah.
Nick Symonds
Guest
New rule: Any player who won't be available due to refusing to get vaxxed can only be replaced by a U23 player
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
i dont think the lederer group has the same issues the saudi PIF do though lol
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
there is too much temptation in NSW for him, if he wants to restart his career he needs to get out the state
Tigertown
Guest
I agree, I think Bulut still has something to offer football, but it would be with a smaller team, & certainly not one in Sydney. Maybe the Jets could throw him a lifeline? If successful, it would be a great story of redemption. I remember years ago, he was signing autographs at a shoe store in Westfield Parramatta. People really idolised the guy. This is back when WSW were the hottest ticket in town.
Tigertown
Guest
I honestly think the RBB will be called OOMPA-LOOMPAS from now on. And to think, the term was popularised on The Roar! I think The Cove would take SMURFS with a grain-of-salt. They’re a resilient bunch. However, the RBB seem more touchy, dare I say, even triggered at times.
Nick Symonds
Guest
SYDNEY = SMURFS WANDERERS = OOMPA-LOOMPAS MACARTHUR = SHAUN THE SHEEP WELLINGTON PHOENIX = HOBBITS WESTERN UNITED = MR. MAGOO MELBOURNE VICTORY = MR. SQUIGGLE MELBOURNE CITY = RICHIE RICH PERTH GLORY = BUGS BUNNY BRISBANE ROAR = YOSEMITE SAM ADELAIDE UNITED = OCTONAUTS NEWCASTLE JETS = ROGER RAMJET MARRINERS = POPEYE
Midfielder
Roar Guru
Waz ... that is mean....
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
I’ve mentioned Bulut on here before, wanderers were 100% aware of his affiliation to organised crime. He had it all as youngster: pace, height, agression, finishing – he was a phenom in that sydney fc youth side, IMO he was the best forward in the youth league that season. Its interesting seeing what has become of the strikers from the league that season, one of the finest finishing classes in youth league history (monterroso, barisic, elasi, ibrahim & babalj) Without the ‘extra curricular activities’ and who he was associating with at a young age, bulut would’ve had a great career But he is the classic example of what happens when you hang around the wrong crowd There was a young adelaide united player that was hanging around known criminals several years ago, the club ended up letting him go because he wouldnt leave those people alone he bounced around for a few years, before finding his feet at another a league club last season Bulut can still finish his career strong but once he finishes his rehab, he needs to leave sydney for good – NSW is not good for him. For someone that hasnt played in a few years he looks to still be in pretty good shape physically he can do a job for a small city team – a team like adelaide, perth even wellington he would be a good fit for. Buluts had a few chances already, but if he can prove that he has actually changed and is committed to football, he would be deserving of at least a trial with a club