SEVENTIETH EDITION X SEASON 2016/17 X ROUND 23 VS MELBOURNE CITY PROUDLY BROUGHT TO YOU BY CONTENTS Everything you need for tonight's match FEATURES SEVENTIETH EDITION REGULAR X SEASON 2016/17 X ROUND 23 VS MELBOURNE CITY COLUMNS OPEN LETTER: FROM THE PLAYER 5 WARM UP 6 FIVE THINGS: FIVE UP-AND-COMING IN SAFE HANDS WANDERERS 11 The future is bright says Tony Popovic PROUDLY BROUGHT TO YOU BY 8 PLAYERS TO WATCH: Story by Domenic Trimboli SOTIRIO VS FITZGERALD 13 THE WANDERER WANDERERS LAUNCH W-LEAGUE MENTORING The views in this publication are PROGRAM 15 not necessarily the views of the NRMA Insurance Western Sydney TODAY'S MATCH 16 Wanderers FC. Material in this publication is copyrighted and may FOX FOOTBALL FIX 20 only be reproduced with the written permission from the Club. ANTH'S SPOT THE DIFFERENCE 22 ADVERTISING For all advertising enquiries for CORPORATE NEWS: The Wanderer or questions about HOME AWAY FROM HOME 23 partnership with the club please contact the Corporate Partnerships TAKE FIVE: team by sending an email to RYAN GRIFFITHS 25 [email protected] WANDERERS OUT TO END GUARDIAN FUNERALS PHOTOGRAPHY CITY STREAK 18 WANDERCREW MEMBERS All photography in The Wanderer The Red & Black hunt for their first OF THE WEEK: is courtesy of Ali Erhan, Getty ANGOK BOK 26 Images and Steve Christo. win against the Victorians this season Story by Joshua Thomas IN THE COMMUNITY: WANDERERS WALK FOR HARMONY 27 OUR PARTNERS 30 2014/15 CORPORA TE PARTNER VISIT WANDERLAND.COM.AU 3 Refrigerators MR-WX627 NEWPRODUCT Big enough for all the game day essentials Mitsubishi Electric proudly supporting Western Sydney Wanderers FC. For more information on the MR-WX627 For more information on our products please scan the QR Code. Phone:1300 280 625 please visit www.mitsubishielectric.com.au OPEN LETTER Refrigerators MR-WX627 NEWPRODUCT Big enough for all the game day essentials PlYe Brendon Santalab on what it AHEAD OF THE PACK means to break the Wanderers Santalab's tally of 34 goals puts him highest ever goal scorer two ahead of former record holder Mark Bridge Wanderers. Without them I all their support and guidance. six in the last two games now. Mitsubishi Electric proudly supporting could not have achieved this. I think we can always Heading into the finals I never dreamed of this as a improve but after a tough trip to with confidence is important Western Sydney Wanderers FC. kid especially at this great Club. Seoul and a great win over there and all the results in the past I’m delighted to be here and it was always important that we mean nothing when it comes since the first day I’ve thoroughly backed it up and we did that to finals time. enjoyed it and the support from against Wellington last week. There’s still plenty of football the fans has been incredible. At this time of the season, to be played but once we This achievement is for them three points is what’s cement our spot definitely in the and also my family who have helped important and we’re hitting top six, whoever we come up reaking the Club me achieve what I have today. our straps at the right time of against I’m sure we’ll be ready. goal scoring record You can’t do it all on your the season, which is crucial. For more information on the MR-WX627 For more information on our products is a proud moment own so to my Mum and Dad We probably haven’t had BRENDON SANTALAB please scan the QR Code. Phone:1300 280 625 please visit www.mitsubishielectric.com.au B in my career and I’d like and my brother and his family, the season that we wished for FORWARD to thank every player who my grandparents and my partner but we’re playing really well WESTERN SYDNEY WANDERERS has been with me at the Stephanie, a huge thank you for now and scoring goals—that’s MEMBER #17,488 FOLLOW @WSWANDERERSFC #WSW 5 WARM-UP WITH HAYDEN FOXE COURTESY OF ANDREW HOWE @ANDYHOWE_STATTO AJORITY OF OUR matches this season conditioning department that are able to Mwe’ve played a high tempo, crisp get the boys to recover and perform at passing and entertaining football but just their best for our upcoming matches. haven’t been able to capitalise on our City have many talented individuals in domination against the opposition. their squad, one we don’t fear but respect So to score six goals in the past two their strengths and look forward to the games and continue to create plenty of challenge that lies ahead of us. Our defensive chances and opportunities was pleasing for displays as a team has been excellent in recent us to see last week. weeks, limiting the opposition’s chances to Leading into this week and preparing very few and showing a real resilience from for the match against Melbourne City with front to back and doing whatever is required a short turnaround is something that we to prevent goal scoring opportunities. This, are used to given our scheduling in the along with the excitement of watching our Asian Champions League. players turn defence into attack with such Preparation is the key ingredient to be fluency, speed and precision makes you sit successful, making sure all the players are given on the edge of your seat in expectation of an detailed technical and tactical information opportunity being created. on the opposition. Just as important is the Tonight we aim to continue to HE FIRST AUSTRALIAN goalkeeper to recovery processes of the players. produce these type of performances that Tplay in a major European league We’re very lucky here at the Wanderers we have all learnt to expect to come from John Roberts was born on this day in that we have a great medical and us at the Wanderers. 1944. Cessnock-born Roberts also has the distinction of playing in Australia’s first ever World Cup qualifying match, WSWREWARDS against North Korea in late 1965. He played in APIA Leichhardt’s state league grand final winning team in 1965 VOTE FOR THE MEMBERS’ before departing for England where he made three first division appearances PLAYER at Blackburn in 1966. Roberts ended OF THE up playing for seven years in England, EARN mostly with Bradford City. He is one YEAR +1,000 of several Australian goalkeepers who POINTS made the grade at Bradford over the past five decades, with Andy Petterson, VOTE BEFORE FRIDAY 31 MARCH AND Mark Schwarzer, Robert Zabica, Paul GO INTO THE RUNNING TO WIN A DOUBLE PASS TO THE WANDERERS MEDAL Henderson and Clint Davies also making NICO JUMPEI VEDRAN SANTA league appearances there. *Visit parknfly.com.au for full terms and conditions Take the smart way to the runway! • Book using promo code WANDERERS and Park & Fly for a 4 day weekend for just $79* • Undercover parking • Free on demand shuttles to and from Sydney Airport parknfly.com.au • Onsite guard patrols and 24 hour CCTV 6 THE WANDERER ROUND 24 WARM-UP WITH CATHERINE CANNULI @CANNULI_13 ONIGHT IS A very special night for female During my career, I looked up to Tfootball as the Wanderers are launching role models as a way of being inspired their W-League Mentoring Program. to achieve things on and off the field The Mentoring Program is a great but it’s even better that these girls will initiative that will also attract players be able to draw on the close guidance to our Club who want to be part of our of a mentor. growing Wanderers family and brand. One of the biggest things I struggled Not only is it important to perform with early on in my career was trying to well in women’s football but it’s just as balance work and playing professional important, if not more, to be educated and football which involved training four to to have goals that are outside football. five days a week. The Mentoring Program is a great It’s tough and something that I still try opportunity for the younger generation to speak to the younger girls today. of girls that are coming through the Club It’s not until when some of the to make connections and build a future girls get full time jobs that they really for themselves outside of football. understand the struggle some of the older We’re lucky enough here at the girls go through in managing their time. Wanderers to have some great partners I hope that the new Wanderers and people that are passionate about W-League Mentoring Program closes the women’s football so that the girls can gap in this aspect and helps support our have some great mentors. girls on and off the field. EARN ENTER TONIGHT’S CODE WORD* +100 WSWRND24 POINTS EARN POINTS AND BE REWARDED VISIT THE GIFT STORE YOU CAN REDEEM YOUR POINTS FOR EXCLUSIVE PRIZES DOWNLOAD THE APP WSW REWARDS *CODE IS ONLY AVAILABLE UNTIL 6:00PM SATURDAY 25 MARCH 2017 WSWREWARDS WATCH WSWTV 7 FEATURE IN SAFE HANDS As the business end of the season approaches, the Wanderers' generation next are showing they're more the capable of getting the job done STORY BY DOMENIC TRIMBOLI AND JESSICA CSASZAR @DOM_TRIMBOLI & @JESSICACSASZAR have established a proud continued his sensational tradition of not only just season with another measured giving youth a chance but display at the back. developing youngsters to the With youngsters like Mario point where they begin to play Shabow, Abraham Majok and integral roles in the squad.