Wanderers NPL2 2017

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Squad list would appear to have updated on the club's website.

This is our NPL2 squad for season 2017. 

 

http://www.wswanderersfc.com.au/team/y_league

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Taken from Football NSW's preview of all NPL2 clubs, posted in main competition thread.

 

Western Sydney Wanderers FC

The Western Sydney Wanderers begin another season in the PS4 NPL 2 after missing out on promotion in 2016 in a 4-1 loss to cross-city rivals Sydney FC, despite an impressive first year in the competition.

The Wanderers will be hopeful of improving on last season’s grand final loss, however, having finished the regular season just three points behind Sydney FC, with a goal difference far superior to the teams that trailed them.

Brenton Fox (Central Coast Mariners FC) and Lachlan Roberts (Mt Druitt Town Rangers FC) are among the players who move on from Western Sydney, while Keanu Baccus and Lachlan Scott have been promoted to Tony Popovic's first team squad, though Baccus is still set to have a role – albeit a reduced one – in the Wanderers PS4 NPL 2 side this season.

Abraham Majok, formerly of Mt Druitt Town Rangers, has featured for the first team in the Asian Champions League this season, but is expected to play a part in Trevor Morgan's plans for 2017. Emmanuel Gonzalez joins from Sydney FC as the 20s side's top scorer in 2016, while Noah Pagden and Adrian Viggiani are among those players promoted from the Wanderers' 18s and 20s teams.

"There's excellent potential here.

"We've played a few games in preseason where there's only been two 19 year olds on the pitch – everyone else we've put out has been 16, 17 or 18. They're going to be tested, but we're looking forward to those matches because they ultimately help to prepare out boys for the highest level, which is really the end goal for this kind of team.

"The focus of our club is one hundred per cent on producing players for the first team. Having said that, we will be prepared to win every match. We should be highly competitive in every match, and our expectation will be that it's possible to win every time we go out there.

"You'll see us with a similar pressing style and structure as the first team – the speed of our game isn't the speed of their game, but we will be playing a Wanderers' style of football. We're always looking for continued improvement, so we trust that we can rise to the challenge."

-By Max Grieve

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WSW 2017 NPL2 fixtures 

 

http://websites.sportstg.com/team_info.cgi?c=1-10179-170778-439113-25775958&a=SFIX

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NPL New South Wales

9 hrs Â· 

Youngster Keanu Baccus on Western Sydney Wanderers FC title hopes this PlayStation 4 NPL 2 NSW Men's season.

 

https://www.facebook.com/nplnsw/videos/1233294786725843/

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The club has cut down on NPL coverage it seems. 

 

No live-tweeting or score updates. No pre-match preview produced by the club. Nothing even in the member's emails. 

 

How would anyone know that you can use your membership to get into the games, let alone actually know the games are on? Most fans have facebook and there's been only one post that addresses the start of the season. It could be easily missed by most.

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Doesn't look like we're getting an NPL2 match day thread, so I'll just spam every WSW related thread

 

Come along to Sefton on Saturday night & get your Wanderer's fix.

Kick Off times - u18's 3pm, u20's 5pm & 1st grade 7pm. 

Normal prices are - Adults $10, Concession $5, Kids under 16 Free.

 

Wanderers Live†@WanderersLive

 

More

Note the new start time for Saturday's @BankstownCityFC v @wswanderersfc @NPLNSW game. @HawkesburyRadio

 

• 8:25 PM - 9 Mar 2017

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Western Sydney Wanderers v Spirit FC, Sydney United Sports Centre, Saturday 18 March, 7pm

Western Sydney Wanderers host Spirit FC at Sydney United Sports Centre on Saturday night and after their resounding 5-1 victory over Bankstown City last weekend, the young guns from Sydney’s west will be brimming with confidence.

But that youthful exuberance is sure to be kept in check by coach Trevor Morgan, who will be looking for discipline and improvement from his charges.

It goes without saying that the Wanderers’ NPL 2 objectives are completely different to their non A-League counterparts. It’s not about a first grade team where they’re just trying to perform each week. It’s about monitoring the loads placed on their players, especially those who are training with the first team.

“If we didn’t have a first team above us I’d be focusing purely on my boys in a different way, a bit more like every other club does,†Wanderers coach Trevor Morgan said.

“But we take into consideration our objective which is to give our boys a pathway out of our side and into the first team, and also that we accept that when the players have a heavy load with the first team, they’re not going to play as much for us.â€

Despite the club’s charter, the Wanderers’ NPL 2 side will be gunning for Spirit FC and with their team of teenage young guns, will be hopeful of reinforcing their position as one of the competition’s heavyweights.

Meanwhile, Spirit FC coach David Perkovic believes a specific game plan and his side’s ability to execute that game plan will be crucial if Spirit is to be competitive against the Wanderers.

“It’s all about the finer details because teams like the Wanderers will punish you for minute mistakes,†Perkovic said. “We’ll have to be close to perfect in our execution of our game plan to get something out of the match, but the boys are capable and looking forward to it. These are the kind of games you don’t have to motivate your players for.†
So what is Perkovic expecting of the Wanderers?

“I’m expecting them to play exactly like their A-League team,†he replied. “Trevor (Morgan) is a very good coach and he’ll have them working to (Wanderers A-League coach Tony Popovic) Poppa’s tactics. In that sense, how they play is not going to be a surprise so we can plan for it. But it’s going to come down to the execution of our game plan that will be the contributing factor to how competitive we are.â€

Apart from a dislocated ankle suffered by Emmanuel Gomez in last week’s win over Bankstown Berries; and a hamstring strain to Tim Porter, Perkovic has the luxury of a fully fit squad available for selection. Gomez is likely to be sidelined for at least six weeks, while Porter is a 50-50 proposition for this weekend’s game against Western Sydney.

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Match of the Round

Marconi Stallions vs Western Sydney Wanderers, Marconi Stadium, Saturday 25 March, 7pm

Marconi Stadium is the place to be this Saturday night as the Stallions host Western Sydney Wanderers in a blue-chip match of the round that many PS4 NPL 2 NSW Men’s aficionados are predicting to be a grand final preview.

The Stallions share the competition lead alongside Blacktown Spartans, just two points ahead of Western Sydney, but those numbers will mean nothing by 7pm on Saturday night.

Marconi probably turned on their most consistent performance of the season in last week's 3-1 victory over the Bankstown Berries, a welcome relief for coach Tony Candy who was disappointed with his side's performance against Macarthur a fortnight ago.

The Marconi mentor said that while he was delighted with the turnaround in form and the result, what pleased him most was his side's ability to control the game for the full 90 minutes. He also understands that this week's test will be a formidable one and last season's grand finalists will pose a significant challenge.

"Western Sydney will be a different proposition, a different game," Candy told Football NSW. "They've got a different playing style. They've got some talented players. It'll be a difficult game. But for us it's the most important game of the round. The game has obviously got some significance and it's very important that we get a good result." 

Marconi has the most experienced side in the competition. They also have the biggest budget, and with the likes of former Socceroo Michael Beauchamp and ex-A-League stars Peter Triantis, Sean Rooney, Mirjan Pavlovic and Marko Jesic leading the charge, they'll be a formidable challenge for a young Western Sydney side still finding their way.

It might be early days yet but Western Sydney hasn't quite reached the heights of last season, when it was common for the red and black to demolish teams with equal doses of skill, mobility and guile. But most of all, they had the mental toughness to crush an opponent when holding a lead.

That hasn't quite happened this season, with last week's 4-3 escape over Spirit FC a classic example of not putting the foot to the throat when holding a significant advantage. The young Wanderers held a commanding 3-0 halftime lead but conceded two quick goals after the restart before eventually escaping with a 4-3 win.

Wanderers coach Trevor Morgan said that while he was disappointed with this aspect of his team's performance, he was happy with their ability to compete physically against more mature and experienced opposition.

"I'm happy that we're coping with the physical demands of the league," Morgan said. "But I do think that our concentration and certain tactical aspects of the game need to improve. Otherwise we would've won every game 5-0 and kept a clean sheet. For me, I'm happy that they're physically competing against the men but we need to be more correct in our actions in both boxes." 

While the Stallions boast several quality players who have experienced the top flight, the young Wanderers also have their fair share of players who are on the cusp of moving onto bigger and better things. Eighteen-year-old Abraham Majok, Mario Shabow and Keanu Baccus have already tasted first team football, while several players train regularly with Tony Popovic's A-League squad, which will provide an edge when push comes to shove against the Stallions.

When asked how important the Marconi clash was to his side, Morgan replied: "We want to win on Saturday, we prepare to win every match. We know for sure Marconi's going to be tough and I assume that for them playing at home, they're going to be looking to win it. Sometimes teams play with caution and hope to get a result. But I think Marconi will be aggressive and it'll be a good test for us."

Fortunately, both sides are injury free and expect to have all players available for selection.

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u18's & u20's games have both been postponed tomorrow afternoon, due to the forecast of further rain & the state of the pitch.

 

NPL2 game will still go ahead at 7pm

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Inaugural #M7Derby preview

 

Western Sydney Wanderers v Blacktown Spartans, Sydney United Sports Centre, 7pm, Saturday 1 April

In one of the most eagerly awaited clashes of the season, unbeaten Western Sydney Wanderers and league leaders Blacktown Spartans face off at Sydney United Sports Centre on Saturday.

Buoyed by the confidence that comes with winning, the Spartans have been the talk of the town with four wins from as many starts. They've worked hard. They've played with passion. And under new coach Luis Contigiani, they've bought into a playing style and culture that sees them sitting alone at the top of the table.

But despite their early season success, Contigiani knows that the visit to Edensor Park will be the biggest test his side has faced all season.

"It's a massive game, a big test," Contigiani told Football NSW. "They're the best of their generation, they're going to be fast, technical and they're going to try to move us around. They're going to try to play through the lines very quickly. I'm expecting a big test. I reckon the game will be determined by how well we maintain our discipline and keep our defensive shape. Simple as that."

Contigiani also believes the young Wanderers will be similar to the Central Coast Mariners, (who his side beat in Round 2) "but just a bit more potent in the final third". 

"What impresses me the most about the Wanderers is the way they keep possession and go forward," Contigiani said. "We aspire to one day have a similar game model but we've got to be realistic about who we are and where we're at. We have to focus on being clinical in attack and defence, and if the boys show the same determination and discipline as they have in weeks gone by, I believe we can give ourselves a shot in the arm. Again it'll just be how well we execute our gameplan on the day."  

Meanwhile, the Wanderers will enter the match following a hard-fought two-all draw with fellow championship favourites Marconi and coach Trevor Morgan is expecting the Spartans to be formidable opponents.

"They've been doing very well," Morgan told Football NSW. "They're a young side, they're trying to rebuild their club, they've got a positive mentality and they've been winning. Obviously it's another challenge for us. They've got some good aerial power, they've got some pace, which they use effectively. They're definitely things for us to be mindful of. It's going to be very tough."

Despite the potency of the opposition, Morgan said he'd like his side focus on keeping a clean sheet, something they weren't able to do against Marconi.

"It's a tough marker but I think we should be aiming to keep a clean sheet against a strong opponent," Morgan said. "We weren't able to do that last week (against Marconi). We still conceded goals and I think they're things our young, aspiring defenders can't be happy about. If they want to try to impress the boss (First team coach Tony Popovic) they've got to show they can defend better. I think more control in our play and the ability to dictate the play more than the Spartans do is key to getting a result."

Both sides will go into the match without any injury concerns in what should be an intriguing encounter between two young and vibrant football teams.

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Note- The u18's & u20's games at 3pm & 5pm respectively, should be good contests as Tigers have strong youth teams

 

Western Sydney Wanderers vs Northern Tigers, Saturday 15 April, 7pm, Edensor Park 

Western Sydney Wanderers host Northern Tigers on Saturday in what is an interesting matchup between the competition's most outstanding team and one that consistently performs without fuss week-in, week-out. 

The young Wanderers last week beat Hills Brumbies 3-1 to move to the top of the table, but given the number of opportunities they created in the front third, not to mention the fact that the Brumbies had a player dismissed in the 46th minute, the margin should have been far greater than two goals. To their credit, Hills showed tremendous courage under fire, but Western Sydney coach Trevor Morgan would have rued his side's inability to cash in on a multitude of chances.

The Tigers meanwhile, last week played a man short for much of their clash against Bankstown Berries, but were unlucky to concede a late goal that allowed the home side to escape with a fortuitous one-all draw.

Wanderers coach Trevor Morgan is wary of a Tigers side currently hovering inside the top four.

"We had tough matches against the Tigers last year, they're always very well prepared physically and they have a real sense of purpose about the way they play," Morgan told Football NSW. "They're very positive. So I expect them to try to match the tempo of the game with us."

Meanwhile, Northern Tigers coach Mark McCormick had nothing but praise for the young Wanderers.

"They're the best team in the competition. They're the best young players in the country so it's going to be a tough test," the Glaswegian told Football NSW. "That's the great part of football, we can test ourselves against the best players going around and that's what you want to do when you're playing the game. You want to go and test yourself against the best. I'm really looking forward to it."

When asked how his side intends to stop the competition leaders, McCormick replied: "We'll just do more of what we've been doing. We've been going okay lately and for us it's just about being confident and making sure that we get on the ball and try and be brave in the correct areas and just stick to our gameplan."

Both sides announced they were injury-free going into Saturday's encounter.

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St George vs Western Sydney Wanderers, 7pm, Saturday 22 April, Seymour Shaw Park

St George will host a Western Sydney Wanderers side keen to avenge last week's surprise 2-1 loss to Northern Tigers when the two clubs clash at Seymour Shaw Park on Saturday night.

Saints are expecting to face the wrath of a team that until last week, was unbeaten and on top of the league. But with a few of the Wanderers' guns on A-League duty in Adelaide, perhaps the setback wasn't so surprising.

"I wish the Wanderers won that (game against Northern Tigers)," St George coach Terry Palapanis told Football NSW. "That loss will give them extra motivation to beat us. Obviously they're a good young side. They're mobile and energetic. They have some very good footballers. It'll be a very hard one for us."

Saints go into the match on the back of a solid 2-1 victory over Bankstown Berries and Palapanis will be looking for consistency when his side takes on the Wanderers.

"We've got a midweek FFA Cup match and I've heard our opponents are very physical, so we'll take particular care and we'll come up with a gameplan (for the Wanderers) by Thursday. Hopefully we'll execute and deliver to make it a contest."

When asked to name the Wanderers' strengths, Palapanis pinpointed their mobility, their movement off the ball and their decision making, before adding that his side will need to be at their best to compete with one of the competition favourites.

"They're good young footballers and we have to be on our game, especially on defence," Palapanis said. "We'll try to keep the ball as long as possible and try to move them around. I think other teams have fallen into the trap of respecting them too much; but if you don't take the initiative, they'll wear you out, shift you around and score goals against you."

Meanwhile, despite his side's defeat, Wanderers coach Trevor Morgan praised the Northern Tigers for their 2-1 victory over his young charges.

"The result tells the story," Morgan told Football NSW. "All credit to Tigers, they did a good job. Not often does a coach say an opponent's goal was a great goal. I'm going to say one of theirs was defendable as opposed to we didn't get pulled apart by a nine-pass Barcelona movement. But they scored two goals and defended their box extremely well. We were unable to get the win. Credit to them and their preparation; it was also a lesson for us on where we need to be better."

Morgan added that while he hasn't had a chance to see St George play this season, his side will continue to focus on their own form and preparation. 

"I think it's important for us to keep trying to improve," Morgan said. "I just find that every week is a very good test for us and we need to improve the areas (in which) the club expects us to do well in the style of football we play and we need to be prepared for what the other team brings. We'll just prepare and fix our own problems and try to improve our own style of play and hope the boys continue to improve."

Morgan revealed an interesting statistic from the clash against the Tigers which showed that while the Wanderers were inside the Tigers' box 28 times they only managed five shots on goal; whereas the Tigers were in the Wanderers' box 11 times for eight shots (on goal).

"That's definitely an area we must improve," Morgan said. "Their keeper didn't have to make many saves in that game and with the amount of time we spent in their box, we need to be better."    

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Western Sydney Wanderers v Central Coast Mariners, Blacktown Football Park, 7pm, Saturday 29 April

Western Sydney Wanderers and Central Coast Mariners will meet in the clash of the A-League academies at Blacktown Football Park on Saturday night.

The mercurial Wanderers sit in equal second position on the league table and remain one of the favourites to win the competition, while Central Coast find themselves in the precarious position of second-last, a place that belies their class and quality.

"I expect a very tough match," Wanderers coach Trevor Morgan told Football NSW. "The last time we played them in the National Youth League (NYL) it was a difficult day for us and didn't work out for us. So we've got in our mind that we need to do a lot better against them. They carry a very similar squad to what they had in the NYL minus the senior boys they use from time to time and they're going to want to beat us.

"I'm expecting a very tough game and we'll prepare accordingly. I think their (lowly) position on the table is unlikely to stay that way for long. We obviously need to do our best to win the match. We're competing against another A-League setup so they have some talent and they always find a way to make themselves really competitive."

Meanwhile, Mariners coach Ben Cahn is confident his side can do the damage against a team that many are predicting to win the premiership.

"In my time at the Mariners we've played Wanderers four times - twice in the NPL and twice in PS4 NPL 2 - and we've been the best side on all four occasions," Cahn told Football NSW. "We've beaten them once, lost once and drawn twice. It's very close, obviously (we're) two teams trying to do similar things. I have a lot of respect for how they develop players and they've obviously shown a bit more resilience than we have this season so far. It should be a really tough game.

"Every time we've played them its been really good and they play an excellent brand of football and have some excellent individuals. I genuinely enjoy playing against them so it should be a good one for people to watch."

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Macarthur Rams vs Western Sydney Wanderers, 7pm, Lynwood Park, Saturday 6 May

Macarthur Rams face their biggest test of the season when they host the white-hot Western Sydney Wanderers at Lynwood Park on Saturday night. Currently on a four-game unbeaten streak, the Rams have somehow managed to do wonders with a light squad lacking in quality and experience.

The Rams can score goals as evidenced by their recent haul of eight from two matches; but their defence can also be vulnerable, as shown by the six they've conceded in their last two games.

Coach Eddie Briscoe has done a good job motivating his boys, but the Englishman is still looking forward to adding reinforcements sometime in May.

"I can't fault them for their effort and endeavor," Briscoe told Football NSW. "And they're sticking to what we're trying to do. If we can find a couple of players (in May) we might be half decent. We're battling away and fighting and giving it the best shot we can each week. That's all we can do."

Meanwhile, Western Sydney may share the competition lead but they'll need to be focused and on their game when they visit Lynwood Park, a venue that has in the past been a bit of a fortress for the home side.

But the Red and Black have the quality to end Macarthur's unbeaten streak, especially if the likes of Keanu Baccus, Abraham Majok, Liam Youlley, Mario Shabow, Jackson Brandiera and goalkeeper Nick Suman are available for selection. However, just like their Central Coast counterparts, the Wanderers are not in the competition chasing results. They're in the competition giving their players the best possible football education available.

“For us it’s not about a first-grade team where we’re just trying to perform each week,†said Wanderers PS4 NPL 2 coach Trevor Morgan. “We take into consideration our objective which is to provide match experience to young talented players in the highest level of competition available to us. We need to give our boys a pathway out of our side and into the first team, and we also need to accept that when the players have a heavy load with the first team, they’re not going to play as much for our team. If we didn’t have a first team above us I’d be focusing purely on my boys in a different way, a bit more like every other club does."

So how will Western Sydney engage their assignment at Macarthur?

"I'd still like us to keep improving in small areas of our game," Morgan said. "Some of those are team related things and some of those are individuals getting better. Collectively and individually I'd like improvement.

"We present a different opponent to the other clubs because the kids are a bit younger and they train in a fulltime environment. So I think every team aims to beat us and they try to come up with a game plan to do it. I expect them to try and highlight their strengths and try and hurt us."