Wanderers Bombed By Newcastle Jets

4 hours ago, ZachMercer said:

What's the go with Llorente? He was ace when he first joined. Suddenly he can't tackle, get back, position himself or cross. Does he have an identical twin brother called Juan that can't play and is filling in for him.

Hammil is a big dumb pretty schoolboy. When he talks the club looks dumber. Doesn't lead and shouldn't captain a tinny.

Risdon appears to be going down easy these days. I think if your injured its harder to be held accountable and ensure you get a ticket to europe. Prob slot ABJ in there.

Reira gets mad at everything but it hasn't quite clicked that he's old and slow and can only score with his head. It's called football not headball so he might need to join a hackee-sack team next year.

4 hours ago, Ossified said:

Don't panic everybody help is at hand. Starting next home game the Club has announced that "The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Supporters"

(SPCS) will be at ANZ. Also Foxtel will put up warning signs when broadcasting Wanderers games: "Confronting images ahead" and if you listen to the commentary they will become excruciating.

Pain killing Pills can be tested at the ground. I mean at least the club is doing something.

Thanks for the laughs guys! 

I hardly feel like I have a team or a club I can relate to atm. I can only hope and trust that that will change. But the sooner this season is over, the better - for mine.

And yet we have a community here, where we can share the common frustrations and disappointments, and often it's with a sense of humour.

It's the best thing about being a WSW fan for me!  

4 hours ago, Ossified said:

Don't panic everybody help is at hand. Starting next home game the Club has announced that "The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Supporters"

(SPCS) will be at ANZ. Also Foxtel will put up warning signs when broadcasting Wanderers games: "Confronting images ahead" and if you listen to the commentary they will become excruciating.

Pain killing Pills can be tested at the ground. I mean at least the club is doing something.

Which would be typical as the next home match is at spotless.

11 hours ago, westofcentre said:

I wonder if it is time for either a fan protest at club headquarters.

I am dissapointed the players don't seem to care. western Sydney is footballs heartland it has produced more socceroos than any other region in the country. 

These players are pissing on the legacy and spitting in the face of the fans. 

I don't see you post much these days WoC - although you probably visit often.

Makes me sad to recall your passion and excitement from the early seasons - both for Western Sydney, and for the team we had - and to contrast that with your frustrations now.

I really doubt the players don't care. I think after our recent games, and by the time we were down 2-3 goals last night, they must feel humiliated, lost and utterly helpless knowing how to reverse this spiral to (most likely) the bottom of the table.

Repeatedly, I've thought...after some monumental stuff-up or other, they must just think "I wish the Earth would open up and swallow me."

There is no effective leadership.

The person who should be offering a way forward, some glimmer of hope and confidence obviously is out of his depth. The manager, subtly or otherwise, shrugs his shoulders, looks lost for words, and mostly shifts the blame to his players, which to me is wrong as I've said in the past.

"It's a generational thing..." (well no - obviously not universally it isn't)...

"They don't listen and follow the game plan...." (well...that's your job to implement, as others have pointed out).

I do feel sorry for him, and the club management needs to find a way to support him to support and get the best out of his players....with whatever it takes. 

But...yeah.... anyway....

At the end of the day, we just had a month where we could of landed a physical DM & CB. Two obvious weaknesses in our squad.

MB/JP instead bought 2 wingers to go with the other 6 we have.

They also refused to play Tongyik (irrespective of how we were travelling) to force him out the door. Great idea when we’re stacked with CB’s.... The same is happening with Fitzgerald, a player for all faults, should be one of the first ones on the team sheet if you’re looking for the right mentality or someone who wants to play for the club. 

Those type of things impact the squad. As charismatic as MB is with the media, he doesn’t have a great relationship with the majority of players.

Where to start? One has to question the decision making in this club. Hamill offered captaincy, even though he is not captaincy material, nor even an A-league standard defender. This notion that he'll come through because he is a 'westie' is a big furphy. It is sadly probably the reason he got made captain by the club, and not on merit. Then a substandard keeper like Janjetovic gets a 4 year contract so he can get all comfortable and complacent. Their two positions are also extremely important on the field where leaders are needed, yet we have seen through the years that both don't talk much, have a very casual approach, are error prone and a lot of times appear to be going through the motions.

So the question that needs to be asked is who is doing the decision making at the club? I would also say the whole structure (and even culture) is wrong at this club. There was some structure with Popa, but he tried to do it all on his own. That can only last so long before it burns you out. One would think that the result last night could be a bit of 'up you' to Babbel by the players. He has been roasting them in the media in his own unique style. But the players eventual rebellion against the German might be a more subtle and indirect affair, compared to the Catalonian bus driver who was simply an easy target and open to ridicule directly. Babbel has had a distinguished football career after all.

Anyway where to now? No point in getting mad, as the problems are fixable if the club wants to fix it. Let's hope someone tells Babbel the secret of A-league success. 6 or 7 hardened, mature Aussie players with A-league or some European experience who play at a decent level, 4 or 5 overseas players who can make a difference, 2 or 3 enthusiastic juniors, and then a few odd journeymen  in the squad who can change games. Get them disciplined, fit and working as a team. We should really start the process now of what we will need for next season to be competitive, because before you know it we will be copping 5 or 6 goals again playing with kids, or some older players who are just going through the motions.

But before that we should bring someone at the club who knows the league and can make footballing decisions for the club. I would love to steal Rudan from Wellington and get him in a co-coaching and decision making role at the club. Get rid of de Marigny, get Rudan to help out Babbel with player recruitment and tactics during games, as well as giving Rudan a larger role in the general in the club's football direction. Just something I think could change the club's fortunes as at the moment the whole culture is toxic, and there needs to be a new way forward.

33 minutes ago, wendybr said:

 

Thanks for the laughs guys! 

I hardly feel like I have a team or a club I can relate to atm. I can only hope and trust that that will change. But the sooner this season is over, the better - for mine.

And yet we have a community here, where we can share the common frustrations and disappointments, and often it's with a sense of humour.

It's the best thing about being a WSW fan for me!  

Well at times one must have a laugh as opposed to me walking back to SOP Station in the rain, as the song goes " you can't tell the rain from the tears in my eyes". then Bob Dylan song comes to mind " It ain't Dark yet but it's getting there." or Tennyson's " Into the Valley of Death strode the 7,000"

But then as William Blake said " Some are born to sweet delight some are born to endless night" 

Hey side note. Nice to see the fire in the belly coming from Duke after scoring the header. Bit of a get amoungst it boys attitude.

3 hours ago, SBW said:

I am going to stick my neck out here and that I still have my support for Babbel. 

His only fault is selecting the 11 who took the field last night and produced nothing but ****!

For most people the selection was a WTF selection.

Surely he has to accept responsibility for that before the game even started.

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Babbel has fired warning shots to his senior players that if they don't perform they don't play as in the case with the game against Perf where he played our youth players. Our youht players have shown more hunger and energy than our seniors players. Our senior players cant be arsed anymore, the performances this season are proving that.

But but - NOW he's also saying that, it being a " generational thing", the young players don't care about losing - so they are to blame too?

Mitch Duke was gutted in his post game interview....and I could only be thankful that Hammil and Tarek weren't trotted out to have do to the gut wrenching "Sorry.., we're not good enough" interview,  as they've done all season. 

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Now that the NYL is over, those youth players that played for our first team, I hope they get the opportunity to show something to us that our senior players can't.

The Mariners are playing better than us and they are a good chance of getting a result against us next week if we played the same 11 as last night.

Yes to all this.

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Babbel said it in the press conference, the players don't give a **** if they lose and that's just not good enough, Popa and Muscat strike fear into the players if they don't perform and Babbel hasn't shown that yet.

This. It's sadly obvious from his own words that this level of discipline has been beyond him - so far, and he seems at a loss to reverse that.

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As for the club management, they can continue the spin about our Academy and new stadium will fix everything which **** bullshit! the fans have had enough and are voting with their feet.

Yes - I don't think there is a need for protests. They have been occurring for weeks, really, with the number of people not attending. The club MUST be well aware of that issue.

Pizza & beers at the Royal Oak with Stringer and Ossified was great.

We looked sharp, ready to put in a great shift, confident, aware of what was needed.

Then we turned up at the game and after kick-off realised we were watching the same old WSW hacks.

7 minutes ago, wendybr said:

But but - NOW he's also saying that, it being a " generational thing", the young players don't care about losing - so they are to blame too?

Far from a generational thing... its a cultural thing and possibly an Australian thing.

Some guys on Twitter have said in Australia we have built a culture of losing is ok and again Babbel said it last night, these players do not know or understand what the consequences are of losing especially losing a game 5-1. That's the mentality that Babbel whats to instill but the problem is as he has said before, playing in the A-League is paradise, there is no fear of losing, you lose, you still play next week, you lose and there is no punishment, players are in their comfort zone knowing they will not get dropped and this is the system and culture that has been brought up in Australian sports.

7 minutes ago, SBW said:

Far from a generational thing... its a cultural thing and possibly an Australian thing.

Some guys on Twitter have said in Australia we have built a culture of losing is ok and again Babbel said it last night, these players do not know or understand what the consequences are of losing especially losing a game 5-1. That's the mentality that Babbel whats to instill but the problem is as he has said before, playing in the A-League is paradise, there is no fear of losing, you lose, you still play next week, you lose and there is no punishment, players are in their comfort zone knowing they will not get dropped and this is the system and culture that has been brought up in Australian sports.

Yes that's fair enough SBW, and I'm sure it's a huge factor in the challenge an overseas manager must face.

Hopefully between this and next season, assuming he stays, he is able to fathom how to bridge the culture gap, or get his players on to his side of that gap.

1 hour ago, ManfredSchaefer said:

Pizza & beers at the Royal Oak with Stringer and Ossified was great.

We looked sharp, ready to put in a great shift, confident, aware of what was needed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then we turned up at the game and after kick-off realised we were watching the same old WSW hacks.

Remember pre game quiz question 

what will be the thing this week

a) Hammil calamity

b) Vedran calamity 

c) poor ref decision 

d) all of the above 

my old man said d) he was right 

although we missed the obvious Llorente standing off his man 

6 pages in 12ish hours, good areas. My mood right now. See GIF.

The thing that disappointed me the most? The effort of the players, basic errors, no intensity & no leadership on the field. It's clear they've checked out, why do they deserve our support right now? That what makes it worse.

55 minutes ago, SBW said:

Far from a generational thing... its a cultural thing and possibly an Australian thing.

Some guys on Twitter have said in Australia we have built a culture of losing is ok and again Babbel said it last night, these players do not know or understand what the consequences are of losing especially losing a game 5-1. That's the mentality that Babbel whats to instill but the problem is as he has said before, playing in the A-League is paradise, there is no fear of losing, you lose, you still play next week, you lose and there is no punishment, players are in their comfort zone knowing they will not get dropped and this is the system and culture that has been brought up in Australian sports.

On this .... Out of interest does anyone know I’m in Europe they have the same system we have where kids football is result free ie no scores are kept no table 

I often argue with people that this whole system teaches kids at a young results don’t matter then when they turn 12 we expect them to care after 7years of saying don’t worry about it For me our problems start there 

let’s this community and society of politically correctness burn 

Why the **** do we have naplan? But we cant apply the concept of results for football at 8 years old 

13 minutes ago, GunnerWanderer said:

On this .... Out of interest does anyone know I’m in Europe they have the same system we have where kids football is result free ie no scores are kept no table 

I often argue with people that this whole system teaches kids at a young results don’t matter then when they turn 12 we expect them to care after 7years of saying don’t worry about it For me our problems start there 

let’s this community and society of politically correctness burn 

Why the **** do we have naplan? But we cant apply the concept of results for football at 8 years old 

My first thought was  - geez that's very extreme and out there in the context of the subject! Then I realised naplan is not napalm!

18 minutes ago, GunnerWanderer said:

On this .... Out of interest does anyone know I’m in Europe they have the same system we have where kids football is result free ie no scores are kept no table 

I often argue with people that this whole system teaches kids at a young results don’t matter then when they turn 12 we expect them to care after 7years of saying don’t worry about it For me our problems start there 

let’s this community and society of politically correctness burn 

Why the **** do we have naplan? But we cant apply the concept of results for football at 8 years old 

I remember when Okon coached the U17s Joeys a while back and we got hammered in a tournament and he actually said in a press conference, well its a bit hard when our boys have been playing competitive football for 4-5 seasons only and although they would like to win, we were playing a couple of African nations where if they don't win their family doesn't eat.  Said it all to me and that was years ago, we have learnt nothing.

23 minutes ago, GunnerWanderer said:

On this .... Out of interest does anyone know I’m in Europe they have the same system we have where kids football is result free ie no scores are kept no table 

 

Seriously?

How long has that been a thing?

1 minute ago, scarcev said:

I remember when Okon coached the U17s Joeys a while back and we got hammered in a tournament and he actually said in a press conference, well its a bit hard when our boys have been playing competitive football for 4-5 seasons only and although they would like to win, we were playing a couple of African nations where if they don't win their family doesn't eat.  Said it all to me and that was years ago, we have learnt nothing.

I know it's getting off topic, but it's only going to get worse in the next few generations mate. During the school holidays just gone I kicked my 10yr old son out of the house, gave him a ball and said go around and see if any of your mates in the neighbourhood wanna have a kick in the park. After going around to 5 houses he returned. Not because no one was home, but because all his mates wanted to do was play xbox all day. Don't worry about if kids want to learn competitiveness. Worry about whether there be anyone playing.

26 minutes ago, GunnerWanderer said:

On this .... Out of interest does anyone know I’m in Europe they have the same system we have where kids football is result free ie no scores are kept no table 

I often argue with people that this whole system teaches kids at a young results don’t matter then when they turn 12 we expect them to care after 7years of saying don’t worry about it For me our problems start there 

let’s this community and society of politically correctness burn 

Why the **** do we have naplan? But we cant apply the concept of results for football at 8 years old 

If we make our football curriculum like naplan:

Little jimmy is encouraged to play like **** in his first year so that when the scouts come looking his coaching school can show that they have value added to his development.

Look! XYZ coaching has value added 1% more on average than ABC! It costs 100% more and is on the other side of the city, but we need to send Jimmy there otherwise he will never play for Barcelona!

Kids will be assessed on how many times they **** up, as opposed to any attributes they actually have. Creativity will be frowned upon. "No Jimmy, I can see you were trying to release the forward with that attempt because you caught the movement out of the corner of your eye and figured you could wrong foot the defender with the feint, however, it would have been better to just play the ball back, because that was more guaranteed to succeed.

3 minutes ago, wendybr said:

Seriously?

How long has that been a thing?

It's been a few years and I have no problem with it for the very young.  When my son was playing u6's and 7's they didn't know what goals meant.  It was fun.  One day several players from both teams were delayed due to car accident on a main road.  Kids from both teams were playing together having shots at goal and didn't know any better. 

I'm not sure when it changes and I kind of don't mind there being 2 forms of the game where those who really aren't interested or capable of competitive football play a more social form and have fun.  There are other kids who need to be pushed and challenged to bring out their skills and toughen them up.  They need to lose big a few times and have seasons that are full of struggle.  They need a level of desperation to drive them to be better.  We don't ahve too much of this in the A League.  It is, as Babbel has discovered and said, an easy league where players can drift along pick up a decent pay check and not suffer for losing or not really putting in.  Popa got players off side when he wanted more from them. 

Thing is, I think our first group of players had a sense of desperation and desire to prove themselves - and were glad for 2nd and 3rd chances.  They were, by and large, cast-offs from other teams, rejects who wanted to prove themselves and there was fight in them.  We saw it with Nabboutt who was dropped from Vics and went into Asia, worked his butt off and proved himself - a good story.  Otherwise too many players coasting along and we have too many of them!  It is a professional sport and requires hard work but whow will put in??

Early prices for the DOG S.H.I.T DERBY next week.

$ 1.68 the Wanderers you've got to be kidding.

Reading all comments, taking in the relevant points, what is the take on this?

Length of contract for a player at WSW.

What is a good term contract, 1, 2, 3 or 4 year?, as per points raised in this forum, are players on long contracts coasting, losing the urge to perform to the peak of their abilities?, are the kids being pushed too early, i mean when they play well they get the plaudits and must feel pretty good about themselves, get it wrong and play a stinker are they mature enough to cope, do they get any assistance from the older pros and coaching staff?

Popa never seemed to sit with his squad, perform or get driven out seemed his mantra, never seen a turnover in a football team from season to season as with him, regardless of previous season performance in league or cup.

It's a funny league with no relegation and players on a club merry go round, too insular maybe, but that's where we are at, personally unless you are a Messi, Bale, or Ronaldo type player, 2 years is the maximum length contract at this club i believe, some may disagree, enlighten me please.

45 minutes ago, BoyFromTheWest said:

It's been a few years and I have no problem with it for the very young.  When my son was playing u6's and 7's they didn't know what goals meant.  It was fun.  One day several players from both teams were delayed due to car accident on a main road.  Kids from both teams were playing together having shots at goal and didn't know any better. 

I'm not sure when it changes and I kind of don't mind there being 2 forms of the game where those who really aren't interested or capable of competitive football play a more social form and have fun.  There are other kids who need to be pushed and challenged to bring out their skills and toughen them up.  They need to lose big a few times and have seasons that are full of struggle.  They need a level of desperation to drive them to be better.  We don't ahve too much of this in the A League.  It is, as Babbel has discovered and said, an easy league where players can drift along pick up a decent pay check and not suffer for losing or not really putting in.  Popa got players off side when he wanted more from them. 

Thing is, I think our first group of players had a sense of desperation and desire to prove themselves - and were glad for 2nd and 3rd chances.  They were, by and large, cast-offs from other teams, rejects who wanted to prove themselves and there was fight in them.  We saw it with Nabboutt who was dropped from Vics and went into Asia, worked his butt off and proved himself - a good story.  Otherwise too many players coasting along and we have too many of them!  It is a professional sport and requires hard work but whow will put in??

Thanks for those insights!! 

Doesn't seem like a bad idea for Under 6s and 7s, as you say...but if it goes up as far as the Under 12s, that seems silly...especially for kids with talent who do thrive on pushing themselves and being competitive.

56 minutes ago, wendybr said:

Thanks for those insights!! 

Doesn't seem like a bad idea for Under 6s and 7s, as you say...but if it goes up as far as the Under 12s, that seems silly...especially for kids with talent who do thrive on pushing themselves and being competitive.

My son plays u11 SAP and fills in on the u12 team as needed. No scores recorded. I'm not sure when they start recording them, but if its u13 then technically a 26 year old A league player has only had half his development career recorded.

Side note. All the kids (and coaches) from about u10 onwards keep score. They just don't get recorded, because no one wants to tell little Johnny that he can't be Ronaldo.

3 minutes ago, ZachMercer said:

My son plays u11 SAP and fills in on the u12 team as needed. No scores recorded. I'm not sure when they start recording them, but if its u13 then technically a 26 year old A league player has only had half his development career recorded.

Side note. All the kids (and coaches) from about u10 onwards keep score. They just don't get recorded, because no one wants to tell little Johnny that he can't be Ronaldo.

Thank you Zach! I'm fascinated and surprised.

So no finals etc etc etc until kids are in their teens?

Hmmmm….

They've missed out on a lot of disappointment I guess...as well as potentially on the joy of striving to the top. And from what I remember from when my kids were that age....and all through their years playing football and baseball, a successful season was followed by an unsuccessful season...and they got used to the ups and downs of life - almost in equal portions.

I once might have liked the idea of downplaying competition and emphasising cooperating....but I actually think this development is foolish.

I wonder if that's the case in other sports?

1 hour ago, WHACKO said:

Early prices for the DOG S.H.I.T DERBY next week.

 

	Betting Agency	Western Sydney Wanderers	Draw	Central Coast Mariners	Last Updated
BetEasy (NT)		1.68	3.80	4.25	Sat Feb 02 16:01

$ 1.68 the Wanderers you've got to be kidding.

Does that mean we are favourites or not?

4 minutes ago, Edinburgh said:

Does that mean we are favourites or not?

Yes we are favourites

3 minutes ago, WHACKO said:

Yes we are favourites

Shakes head

One other thing that saddens me is the outfits. The fact that now we have resorted to wearing red socks. Can we please go back to the original red and black hoops, white shorts and black socks (which in the true sense is a football kit).

The red and black blur I am seeing with our outfits in the last few years is just horrid on the eye. Most Man Utd, Flamengo or AC Milan supporters while tell you that the white shorts are the perfect balance with the strong presence of red and black that you get on the jersey and socks. Seems like the opposition don't like us playing with the white shorts either.

P.S - yes I am a  Man Utd supporter.

Duke did more that most of the squad have done all year. And he showed passion

We have no leadership - lets see what Babbel does at the selection because he needs to drop players and lots of them