SEVENTY-FOURTH EDITION | SEASON 2017/18 | ROUND 9 VS BRISBAE ROAR Proudly brought to you by CONTENTS THIS MATCH WE'VE PACKED THIS ISSUE OF THE WANDERER WITH EVERYTHING YOU NEED FOR TONIGHT'S MATCH FEATURES SEVENTY-FIFTH EDITION | SEASON 2017/18 | ROUND 10 VS SYDNEY FC Proudly brought to you by THE WANDERER The views in this publication are GOMBAU LOOKING W-LEAGUE LOOKING Y-LEAGUE STORMS OUT not necessarily the views of the TO MAKE HIS MARK 8 TO KICK-ON 14 OF THE BLOCKS 20 NRMA Insurance Western Sydney Today mark’s the first home The Westfield W-League is Two weeks in and the young Wanderers FC. Material in this fixture of the Josep Gombau era back in full swing. Red & Black brigade are publication is copyrighted and may but what can we expect from the already showing they're a force only be reproduced with the written charismatic Spaniard? to be reckoned with. permission from the Club. ADVERTISING REGULAR COLUMNS For all advertising enquiries for The Wanderer or partnership with the OPEN LETTER 5 TODAY’S MATCH 16 IN THE COMMUNITY 27 club please contact the Corporate Partnerships Team by sending an email WARM UP 6 JUNIOR WANDERER ZONE 18 CORPORATE NEWS 28 to [email protected] FIVE THINGS 11 FOX FOOTBALL FIX 22 OUR PARTNERS 29 PHOTOGRAPHY All photography in The Wanderer is PLAYERS TO WATCH TAKE FIVE courtesy of Ali Erhan, Getty Images Brought to you by Turner and Freeman 13 Brought to you by Turner and Freeman 25 and Steve Christo. 2 THE WANDERER ROUND 9 Keep Cool in Style this Season with the MSZ-EF Series CONTROL Quiet Comfort All Day Energy Efficient Wi-Fi Control Mitsubishi Electric, proudly supporting The Western Sydney Wanderers FC. For more information on our products Phone:1300 280 625 please visit www.mitsubishielectric.com.au OPEN LETTER FROM THE WHITE RIBBON SUPPORTER BRENDAN HAMILL TALKS ABOUT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF WHITE RIBBON DAY As an athlete, I know that sport can be a powerful vehicle in spreading the message of White Ribbon and producing social change and it’s really pleasing to see the club supporting the campaign once again. At today’s game, White Ribbon merchandise will be sold around the stadium whilst a giant White Ribbon will be pinned on the Wanderers jersey before kick-off. At half-time, 60 children will enter the field with every third child donning a black shirt to represent the one in three women who have experienced violence in Australia. We’ll also be asking everyone to Take the This is my third year being involved Oath and promise to stand up, speak out and it’s a cause that the club and I are both and act to prevent violence against women. very passionate about. White Ribbon Day was held last week It’s a sad reality that one in three on 25 November and it was great to see the women in Australia have experienced cause supported so widely in the public eye. Keep Cool in Style this Season with violence in some form, with the violence Hopefully the momentum sticks and we can ODAY IS AN important occasion perpetrated by someone known to them. continue to work towards creating a safer the MSZ-EF Series for the club as it marks our sixth It’s an issue that affects us all, as one in community for everyone. annual White Ribbon Day Match. four children in Australia are also exposed to Together, we can help stop violence TEach year, the club looks to draw domestic violence. against women. attention to White Ribbon Australia’s It’s important that as a community message of stopping violence against we recognise that these statistics are Brendan Hamill women and creating a nation in which completely unacceptable and make a Defender every woman lives in safety, free from all commitment to actively do what we can to Member #108985 forms of abuse. prevent such trends. Western Sydney Wanderers FC CONTROL Quiet Comfort All Day Energy Efficient Wi-Fi Control Mitsubishi Electric, proudly supporting The Western Sydney Wanderers FC. VISIT WANDERLAND.COM.AU 5 For more information on our products Phone:1300 280 625 please visit www.mitsubishielectric.com.au WARM UP MATCH PREVIEW ONIGHT MARKS THE first home game of the Josep Gombau era as the TWanderers welcome Brisbane Roar to ANZ Stadium for the first time. It’s been a long six weeks since the Lo’Eau LaBonta has shared her Wanderers last played in front of the playlist with us for this issue: Red & Black faithful and they’ll no doubt be relishing the return to home soil. COASTER After suffering their first loss of the KHALID Hyundai A-League season on Sunday in SELFISH Adelaide, the Wanderers will look to FUTURE & RIHANNA get things back on track against an unpredictable Brisbane outfit. FADE Although the Roar were no match KANYE WEST for Sydney FC in last week’s 3-1 loss at LOVE ON TOP Allianz Stadium, John Aloisi’s side have BEYONCÉ shown in recent weeks that they have plenty of quality amongst their ranks. ON THE REGULAR Frenchmen Éric Bautheac has proven MEEK MILL to be a real danger going forward, while HAPPY marquee man Massimo Maccarone has After the loss to Adelaide the Red & Black ASHANTI shown he still knows where the goal is have slipped out of the top six—though still after bagging three so far this campaign. have a catch-up game against Wellington to FLEX However the Roar, like the Wanderers, have play—and know that a win tonight is crucial FETTY WAP only notched up the one win so far and will be ahead of a tricky list of fixtures this month. DIVE desperate not to fall too far behind the leading Tonight’s match promises to a tightly ED SHEERAN pack as the first third of the season draws to a close. contested affair, as historically speaking the GYALCHESTER DRAKE MEMBER OF THE MONTH: NEW BAE VIC MENSA LES MAJOROS Visit bit.ly/GetLoudWithLaBonta ONGRATULATIONS TO WANDERERS The wet and slippery conditions to listen to these and more! Member Les Majoros who has been made the journey difficult and even Cnamed October’s Member of the Month. more challenging. The steep downhill Les was the team captain and brought sections through Waterfall and Stanwell Tops together a group of Wanderers to participate had every rider on the edge of their saddle. in 36th MS Sydney to Gong ride. Majoros and his team of fellow Wanderers Though some of the Wanderers team were managed to raise over $3000 in the fight seasoned veterans of the ride, for most, it against Multiple Sclerosis. was their first time attempting such an event. The MS Gong ride is 82 kilometres Know a Wanderers Member who has shown generosity, long and traverses up and down some compassion, or ongoing commitment to a cause that supports very steep hills. Western Sydney? Nominate them at wanderland.com.au 6 THE WANDERER ROUND 9 WARM UP two sides can’t be split. In the pair’s 19 league meetings, each side has won six games with the points being shared on seven occasions. It’ll also be the first time the two have clashed since last season’s nail-biting semi final where the Roar prevailed in a penalty shoot-out. ON THIS DAY COURTESY OF ANDREW HOWE @ANDYHOWE_STATTO HE SOCCEROOS DEFEATED rivals Israel 1-0 in Tel Aviv courtesy of a Gary Cole Tgoal on this day in 1980, in the latter stages of a grueling world tour. The tour was an essential warm up for the national team who were set to commence the qualifying campaign for the 1982 World Cup in April 1981. Andrew is Australia’s leading football statistician. Keep an eye out for his upcoming book ‘Encyclopedia of Socceroos’, now available for pre-order from fairplaypublishing.com Hydraulic Distributors HD will get your business pumping For custom design, engineering, system installation, sales & repairs • Power Packs • Pumps • Motors • Valves • Cylinders • Hose & Fittings • Oil • Filters • Gauges • PTO’s • Hoists CALL US 02 4721 5544 www.hydraulicdistributors.com.au 27 Altair Place, Penrith T: 02 4721 5544 An Australian Owned Company SEASON 2017/18 CORPORATE PARTNER FOLLOW US @WSWANDERERSFC 7 FEATURE GOMBAU LOOKING TO MAKE HIS MARK STORY BY DOMINIC UNWIN @DOMINIC_UNWIN TODAY MARKS THE FIRST HOME FIXTURE OF THE JOSEP GOMBAU ERA BUT WHAT CAN WE EXPECT FROM THE CHARISMATIC SPANIARD? 8 THE WANDERER ROUND 9 FEATURE GOMBAU LOOKING TO MAKE HIS MARK WATCH WSWTV 9 FEATURE generation’s greatest A-League, Adelaide finished sixth but led the talents including competition for goals with 45 and their goal Sergio Busquets, difference of +9 was second only to Brisbane. Gerard Pique and of 2014-15 saw similar statistics with 47 course Lionel Messi. goals for and an improvement on goal Following a stint differential with +15. with Hong Kong side Scoring was an issue for Western Sydney Kitchee, Gombau last season with only 35 goals to their name. arrived in Australia That was cancelled out by 35 goals conceded after being appointed so even minor improvements on both fronts manager of Adelaide will see the Wanderers rise up the ladder. United. Similar to Ange Postecoglou’s reign at Like Popovic, Gombau has an uncanny Brisbane Roar, Gombau set about ripping the ability to see the big picture. Despite not being system up and starting from scratch. present for Adelaide’s maiden championship Employing a style of possession-based title, the groundwork laid in his first two football, Gombau brought in a core of seasons ensured the Reds were in a strong technically gifted Spaniards, an approach position in years to come.