SEVENTY-SIXTH EDITION | SEASON 2017/18 | ROUND 13 VS MELBOURNE CITY 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-SIXTH EDITION | SEASON 2017/18 | ROUND 13 VS MELBOURNE CITY Proudly brought to you by THE WANDERER KEANU MAKING WANDERERS SITTING WANDERERS The views in this publication are A NAME FOR PRETTY AT HALF-WAY PUSHING FOR not necessarily the views of the HIMSELF 8 POINT 14 FINALS 20 NRMA Insurance Western Sydney It’s been a breakout month for It’s been a fantastic start to There’s plenty of the line Wanderers FC. Material in this the club’s younger Baccus the Foxtel Y-League season in today’s Westfield publication is copyrighted and may for the Red & Black W-League clash only be reproduced with the written permission from the Club. ADVERTISING REGULAR COLUMNS For all advertising enquiries for The Wanderer or partnership with the OPEN LETTER 5 TODAY’S MATCH 15 IN THE COMMUNITY 27 club please contact the Corporate Partnerships Team by sending an email WARM UP 6 FOX FOOTBALL FIX 19 CORPORATE NEWS 28 to [email protected] FIVE THINGS 11 JUNIOR WANDERER ZONE 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. GET YOUR HANDS ON THESE Brendon wears the Nike Away Jersey Kearyn wears the Nike Red Training Tee Jumpei wears the Nike Black and Nike Tracksuit Pants and Nike N98 Walkout Jacket Training Top 2 THE WANDERER ROUND 13 Pedestal Fan LV16S-RU-PCY Quiet Enough to hear the Roar » Attractive Slim Design » Super Quiet » Lower Power Consumption » Automatic ON/OFF Timer » Remote Control » Three Fan Speeds Mitsubishi Electric, proudly supporting The Western Sydney Wanderers FC. Classy Grey Classy Red For more information on our products Phone:1300 280 625 please visit www.mitsubishielectric.com.au OPEN LETTER Pedestal Fan LV16S-RU-PCY FROM THE CHIEF Quiet Enough to hear the Roar EXECUTIVE OFFICER WANDERERS CEO JOHN TSATSIMAS REFLECTS ON THE JOURNEY SO FAR N BEHALF OF the club, I’d like and house our administration, teams to welcome all our Members and Academy providing us a central and fans to our annual New point for growth and for football in OYear’s Day match. Western Sydney. As we look back at 2017 it is worth Today our match day action sees our reflecting just how far this club has come Westfield W-League team taking to the in a little over five years. field before our Hyundai A-League side in In that time, we’ve witnessed the our second Double Header of the season creation of a club that truly represents here at ANZ Stadium. our region and what it means to be from Playing on New Year’s Day has Sydney’s West. become a tradition for our club and it’s There have of course been bumps fantastic to have our Wander Women take and hiccups along the way but this part for the very first time. club has shown time and time again a Our club has an ongoing commitment determination and a resilience that you to the progression of women’s football both won’t find anywhere else. on and off the pitch, and the introduction Today marks the first day of what of our ground-breaking W-League promises to be another big year in our Mentoring Program this season speaks short history. volumes about where we’re headed. The construction of our new home in Today, with our focus firmly on the » Attractive Slim Design » Super Quiet » Lower Power Consumption Parramatta, Western Sydney Stadium, football to be played out in front of continues to progress and is sure to be us, I hope you enjoy both games and » Automatic ON/OFF Timer » Remote Control » Three Fan Speeds the premier sporting venue in the country prepare for what we are planning to be a when it’s completed in 2019. successful 2018 for all. We’re also excited about the club’s new state-of-the-art training base that John Tsatsimas is currently under construction in Chief Executive Officer Blacktown. Our new headquarters will Member #4664 be a truly remarkable accomplishment Western Sydney Wanderers FC Mitsubishi Electric, proudly supporting We help your business to understand The Western Sydney Wanderers FC. and take control of your energy needs. Classy Grey Classy Red energyaction.com.au | 1300 553 551 For more information on our products Phone:1300 280 625 please visit www.mitsubishielectric.com.au VISIT WANDERLAND.COM.AU 5 WARM UP MATCH PREVIEW ODAY SEES THE Wanderers welcome Melbourne City to ANZ Stadium for Tthe club’s annual New Years Day clash. And what better way to kick- off 2018 than with some Double Header football. With the Summer Football Festival First up will see the Wander in full force we decided to put Women take on a star-studded together a few hits to listen to on Melbourne City outfit in Round 9 of those hot days! the Westfield W-League. SUMMER NIGHTS City, last season’s Champions, JOHN TRAVOLTA AND boast a stellar line-up including the OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN likes of Matildas Kyah Simon and Alanna Kennedy. DAYS LIKE THESE The Red & Black will look to repeat CAT EMPIRE their feats of last season however, where IN THE SUMMERTIME they downed City in a memorable 2-1 THIRSTY MERC win at Popondetta Park. With just five rounds remaining SUMMER RAIN after today, the Wanderers know how BELINDA CARLISLE crucial three points will be as they HOT, HOT, HOT attempt to qualify for the final series THE MERRY MEN for the first time. Meanwhile, Warren Joyce brings his MAN'S NOT HOT Melbourne City side to Western Sydney BIG SHAQ for the final match of Round 13 of the CALL ME MAYBE Hyundai A-League. CARLY RAE JEPSEN SUMMER CALVIN HARRIS VALE FOUNDATION MEMBER #3438 SUMMER LOVE JAMES ROBERTSON JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE UR DEEPEST CONDOLENCES go Search Western Sydney Wanderers out to the family of Foundation FC on Spotify to listen to this OMember James Robertson who sadly playlist and more. passed away on 30th November 2017. A fan from the start, James was a man with a red and black heart. His family have lost a great man, and the Wanderers family have lost a great fan. Do you know a Member who has shown generosity, compassion, a selfless act or ongoing commitment to a cause that supports and positively affects our region? Nominate them for January Member of the month by visiting wanderland.com.au 6 THE WANDERER ROUND 13 WARM UP As the season ticks over into the second half, today’s fixture could carry big implications for both sides as the ladder begins to separate itself. The match marks the second occasion the two sides have met this season, following Round 6’s 1-1 draw at AAMI Park. In that match, a Ross McCormack penalty cancelled out Jaushua Sotirio’s opener in what was Josep Gombau’s first fixture in charge. Historically speaking it’s the Wanderers who hold an overwhelming advantage, grabbing nine wins to City’s four in the 16 league meetings between the pair. It’s also a fixture that tends to be high on goals, with an average of just over three being scored per game. Wanderers boss Gombau in particular will be keen to ensure City are on the receiving end of that statistic, as the Red & Black search for their first win at ANZ Stadium in the 2017/18 season. ON THIS DAY COURTESY OF ANDREW HOWE @ANDYHOWE_STATTO ormer Socceroo Joe Watson F was born on this day in 1952. He spent 14 seasons at Hakoah before ending his career at APIA Leichhardt in 1988. He made 41 appearances for the Socceroos, captaining the team in his last match in 1986, against Andrew Howe @AndyHowe_statto is Australia's leading Czechoslovakia. Following a football statistician. Keep an eye out for Andrew's battle with liver cancer he passed upcoming book 'Encyclopedia of Socceroos', now available away in 2000. for 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 8 THE WANDERER ROUND 13 FEATURE KEANU MAKING A NAME FOR HIMSELF IT’S BEEN A BREAKOUT MONTH FOR THE CLUB’S YOUNGER BACCUS For this was a 19-year-old who had yet to feature the entire Hyundai A-League season, was taking up a midfield role he had yet to play at senior level, and was coming up against a rampant Sydney FC outfit. And although the Sky Blues came out on top in that match, it was a night that Keanu Baccus announced to the country that he belongs at the Hyundai A-League level. Baccus was purposeful and positive, showing maturity well beyond his tender years in what was just his second start in professional football. HERE WOULD’VE BEEN more than a He would back that up the next week few eyebrows raised when three with a man-of-the-match performance in weeks ago, one Keanu Baccus against Central Coast Mariners in Round Twas named in the starting line up for 11, helping the Wanderers to a much- Sydney Derby XVII.