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  • Popovic Abandons WSW On Brink Of Season

    mack

    By mack

    Tony Popovic has dramatically exited the Western Sydney Wanderers a mere week out from the opening of the 2017/18 A-League Season

    Reports have indicated that Popovic received & accepted a shock offer from Turkish side Karabukspor, a  inconsistent, occasionally relegated side who have gone through coach after coach in the past 5 years. His tenure at the Wanderers resulted in the club becoming the first ever Australian winners of the Asian Champions League, while domestically his output was less than expected after he failed to add to the single A-League Premiership the club won in their inaugural season. 

    After rejecting multiple offers from clubs in England & China after winning the Asian Champions league, he has finally accepted what appears to be a quite mediocre club for his first major opportunity overseas. The awful timing sees the Wanderers scrambling to find a replacement manager to take charge of the Round 1 fixture against Perth Glory. 

    One minor benefit for whoever the new coach will be is that unlike previous seasons, the Wanderers recruited well & early, putting together a strong squad with all 5 foreign spots filled early into pre-season. The benefits have shown as the Wanderers have made their way into the FFA Cup semi-finals and have been touted as a top 4, if not top 2, squad in the A-League.

    It is likely that Wanderers chairman Paul Lederer & CEO John Tsatsimas has already potentially scouted new staff as Popovic's contract was expiring at the end of the season, and the obvious targets include Ante Milicic, currently an assist with the Australian National Team, Josep Gombau, who is in charge of the Australian U23/Olympic team. Should the club want to look to promote coach from the NPL they could seek out the services of Mark Rudan, Chris Taylor from South Melbourne, or Mark Crittenden from Blacktown City. Ian Crook will run the club in a caretaker fashion until an appointment is made.

    Ultimately the club will need to move forward quickly from the "Popovic Era", find a coach that can bring quick success to a club that has not won a title for the past 3 seasons. Popovic's style was highly authoritarian, and said to be total control over the football side of the club. It will be an adjustment for the players & staff regardless of who takes over the role, and whoever wins the job will have high expectations from day one.

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    Neverbloom

    serious question but if kalac is gone who would you take as a goalkeeping coach? i doubt it would be possible but i would love to see Bozza but i dont really know the best options for a goalkeeping coach

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    tardotz
    Just now, WSWBoro said:

    Can't we poach Kenny from Perth :D

    Just for the touch line lol's and the after match press conferences, plus he knows how to get under Arnies skin and I like his fellow Teessider accent and humour....not for any other reason :D

    Kenny would be great..... the rivalry with Arnie would make it worth while 😀

    Link to comment
    Jukes01
    6 minutes ago, GoatyMcGoatFace said:

    that is why he would be great as a coach to piss them off :P also he is a good coach from what i know, i would like Gombau though, i do like our assistant coach but i do worry that he might not make a great head coach

     

    i want to clarify i am not angry at Popa, i just wish the timing was different and no matter what people say he has been an amazing coach imo and i hope he does an amazing job in Turkey

     

    thank you Popa

    I don't think anybody is angry at Popa even though the timing is ****. These opportunities come up unexpectedly. The club would have decided they need a new coach and would have needed Popa to respond immediately. They are in their season already so he has to take the opportunity when it comes.

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    • Popular Comment
    WHACKO
    • Popular Comment
    10 minutes ago, GoatyMcGoatFace said:

    serious question but if kalac is gone who would you take as a goalkeeping coach? i doubt it would be possible but i would love to see Bozza but i dont really know the best options for a goalkeeping coach

    Ante Covic

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    lloydy136

    Not sure if i want to watch the slow build tiki-taka that gombau brings. People lost their minds last season when we kept passing back and sideways.

    All sorts of rumours about behind the scenes dramas doing the rounds on social media. Sigh.

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    SBW

    Well the timing is unfortunate.  Its not really ideal that he leaves 6 days out for our first game of the season.

    I dont know much about the Turkish league but its going to be a very tough gig but all the best to him

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    echidna

    Popa obviously did not give the club enough notice so they could issue a statement before the news leaked - I just wonder if he had the courtesy to gather the players together and talk to them?

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    Horus
    59 minutes ago, GoatyMcGoatFace said:

    seriously screwed up for him to quit just before the season starts

    Agreed - I'd like to say I have some perspective but I'm only seriously pissed off - now we're scrambling for a governor

    So sure Carrasco  or Gombau - but hell I'd take KL but he'd never piss off from the Glory a week out

     

    Edited by Horus
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    Davo

    A couple of things with Milicic. Firstly he appears to be Ange's right hand man in the Socceroos setup. Considering the position they're in right now and the possibility of taking them to the World Cup would he want to leave? Also if Popa did leave on bad terms (and that certainly hasn't been confirmed) then would Ante come? He and Popa are pretty close.

    We could do a lot worse than Crook and Carrasco, although the timing really is a kick in the dick.

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    Smoggy
    1 minute ago, wanderersfanatic said:

     

    Full clean out.... 

     

    Foxsports.com.au understands that assistant coaches Andres Carrasco and Hayden Foxe, as well as goalkeeper coach Zeljko Kalac will also depart the club.

    I wouldn't be surprised if it was a full clear out actually.

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    Jukes01
    2 minutes ago, Davo said:

    A couple of things with Milicic. Firstly he appears to be Ange's right hand man in the Socceroos setup. Considering the position they're in right now and the possibility of taking them to the World Cup would he want to leave? Also if Popa did leave on bad terms (and that certainly hasn't been confirmed) then would Ante come? He and Popa are pretty close.

    We could do a lot worse than Crook and Carrasco, although the timing really is a kick in the dick.

    When is our last WC qualifier. Would we be able to get Milicic after that.

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    Jukes01
    6 minutes ago, wanderersfanatic said:

     

    Full clean out.... 

     

    Foxsports.com.au understands that assistant coaches Andres Carrasco and Hayden Foxe, as well as goalkeeper coach Zeljko Kalac will also depart the club.

    If it's a full clear out that wouldn't be great. Carrasco would be a natural fit.

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    Jukes01
    Just now, GoatyMcGoatFace said:

    .....i do not know how i managed to forget about Covic

     

    i have disgraced myself, i have disgraced my family and i have disgraced the Hawkesbury

    Covic would be an awesome appointment

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    btron3000
    12 minutes ago, lloydy136 said:

    Not sure if i want to watch the slow build tiki-taka that gombau brings. People lost their minds last season when we kept passing back and sideways.

    Yeah, I was more thinking about his interaction with the fans! Would definitely fire up the crowd lol

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    Neverbloom
    9 minutes ago, Horus said:

    Agreed - I'd like to say I have some perspective but I'm only seriously pissed off - now we're scrambling for a governor

    So sure Carrasco  or Gombau - but hell I'd take KL but he'd never piss off from the Glory a week out

     

    i honestly dont blame him but it doesnt give us much time, ah well, roll with the punches

     

    dRIGRhX.gif

    Link to comment
    tardotz
    5 minutes ago, Jukes01 said:

    When is our last WC qualifier. Would we be able to get Milicic after that.

    We can get him now and release him for the week prior to the playoffs.....not ideal but doable.

    Link to comment
    Smoggy
    4 minutes ago, DeeDee said:

    Just read that Andreas, Kalac and Foxe to follow and leave too. Thats hirts more then just the loss of a head coach

     

    That is the Boro / Chairman Steve Gibson model, when  a Boro manager departs so do the rest of the backroom staff.

     

    Do they have someone lined up already? Is someone lined up who would bring in their own people, will have moved bloody fast if they have...

    Edited by WSWBoro
    Link to comment
    Davo
    13 minutes ago, Jukes01 said:

    When is our last WC qualifier. Would we be able to get Milicic after that.

    Assuming we get past Syria the last two games are in November. That's a big chunk of the season to miss/share him.

    Link to comment


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