Robert Cornthwaite

Gone to Perak in Malaysia. No real loss. Clearly didn't accept the change in coach. His stats were poor this season.

"I would like to wish all the staff and especially all the players good luck for the remainder of the season and beyond.”

Good luck, ey? Thanks for the well wishes, luck is exactly what we need.

Beyond that: thanks for the tackles on Bobo and Malik. They did give me a laugh on otherwise depressing evenings. 

Can't fault his effort. Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but the 'especially all the players' part is interesting. 

I'll never forget the thunderous penalty he took in Brisbane. 

Corny very under rated i reckon.

Was very good second half of last season when he, antonis and janetovic resuscitated our season.

He and gombau were never going to be a good match.

We will miss his experience and know-how.

1 hour ago, lloydy136 said:

Corny very under rated i reckon.

Was very good second half of last season when he, antonis and janetovic resuscitated our season.

He and gombau were never going to be a good match.

We will miss his experience and know-how.

I liked him. Did a great job for us last season but has been off the pace this year. Even his 'experience and know how' have let him down this season.

1 hour ago, lloydy136 said:

Corny very under rated i reckon.

Was very good second half of last season when he, antonis and janetovic resuscitated our season.

He and gombau were never going to be a good match.

We will miss his experience and know-how.

True 

I don’t think him and Thwaite can work either, you can have one big lump with the turning circle of a north shore mums four wheel drive but not 2, teams were pulling usapart.

I’d have binned a Thwaite though, or confined him to the bench. The partnership with aspro worked better as aspro is more mobile (note the use of the qualifying word more)

Quote

Robert Cornthwaite returns to Malaysia having 'nothing to prove'

Back for his second stint in Southeast Asia under ex-Melbourne Victory manager Mehmet Durakovic, former Socceroo Robert Cornthwaite will be hoping to taste Malaysia Cup glory once again. But he says his abrupt departure from Western Sydney Wanderers still lingers on his mind.

The ex-club captain admits that his world was turned upside down when manager Tony Popovic quit before the start of the 2017-18 A-League season last October, to be replaced by Josep Gombau.

Within weeks, Cornthwaite found himself on the bench as the ex-Adelaide United boss rang the changes. Last month, the 32-year-old exited the club to join Perak TBG for the 2018 Malaysia Super League season.

Speaking exclusively from Perak's base in Ipoh, Cornthwaite conceded that he was dropped after a disagreement with ex-Barcelona youth coach Gombau and declared that he "had nothing to prove" after turning his back on a "stagnant" A-League.

"Once you're not enjoying things, it's hard to perform well," Cornthwaite said. "Working with Tony Popovic was one of the best learning experiences I've had as a player because I loved his attention to detail, with a no-nonsense, winning mentality -- at all costs.

"When there was a change of managers, the club started to head in a direction that I didn't really enjoy anymore. [Gombau] is a lot more relaxed than 'popa' and a different style of coach who wants to be friends with the players. It certainly worked well for him in the past, but I prefer more of a boss."

Cornthwaite's third foray into Asia -- he also spent four years in South Korea with Jeonnam Dragons -- takes him two hours north of Kuala Lumpur to an improving side looking to emulate the feats of his former Malaysian club, Selangor.

In the 2015 season, Cornthwaite was a key figure under ex-Selangor captain Durakovic as the Red Giants lifted the Malaysia Cup for a record 33rd time after a 2-0 victory over Kedah at the iconic Shah Alam Stadium. Durakovic became the first foreigner to win the Malaysia Cup as a player and coach as the imposing Cornthwaite -- he's 6-foot-5 -- carved his name into local football folklore with an authoritative defensive display.

So much so that when Cornthwaite, Durakovic and other key personnel were swept out of the club at the start of the 2016 season to clear the way for the arrival of new coach Zainal Abidin Hassan, the seven-time capped Socceroo was quickly reinstated after a massive fan backlash on social media.

"Playing for Perak is a lot different to Selangor ... for a start, it is in a quiet area away from Kuala Lumpur, and the expectations are different," Cornthwaite said.

"But Mehmet and I have a good record working together in Malaysia and I know that he is the type of coach who suits my game. We have a very good squad so I'm hopeful that we can have a successful year."

Apart from Philippines striker Misagh Bahadoran, who qualifies as an ASEAN import, Perak have a trio of Brazilian attackers, including Leandro, who featured in the 2015 Malaysia Cup win. There's also ex-Sydney FC midfielder Brendan Gan, one of Cornthwaite's former rivals from his A-League days at Adelaide United.

Australian-born Gan, whose father was born in Malaysia, now plays for the Malaysian national team, having earned eight caps and appeared in the 2014 Asian Games in South Korea.

Cornthwaite bristles at the suggestion that returning to Asia is an easy option after one-and-a-half seasons back in the A-League. He played 36 times across all competitions for Western Sydney between mid-2016 and January 2018, scoring three goals.

His former Adelaide United teammate Bruce Djite recently joined Indonesian club PSM Makassar while Matt Smith -- two-time A-League winning captain with Brisbane Roar -- has just begun his fourth season with Thailand's Bangkok Glass.

"People think you can just walk into a Southeast Asian league once they can't find anything in Australia, but it's not like that," Cornthwaite said. "There's a list as long as my arm of players who want out of the A-League but can't find anything.

"I've spent over half my career in Asia and not many players have survived 12 months in any league. I'm into my seventh season. I don't have anything to prove.

"Unfortunately, the A-League is stagnant and players want to set up their futures. There's a lot that needs to improve in the running of the game in Australia. Let's hope something gives sooner rather than later."

After four matches of the 2018 MSL season, Perak are in mid-table in the 12-team league but within reach of the top three. The highlight was a 3-1 away win against 2017 Malaysia FA Cup champions Kedah on Feb. 8, with Cornthwaite scoring the go-ahead goal in the 87th minute.

Despite his sometimes ungainly style, Cornthwaite has a knack of grabbing late goals and scored three times at international level, including the winner as Australia beat South Korea 2-1 in Hwaseong in 2012. Another late strike helped Adelaide United beat Kashima Antlers in the last four to advance to the final of the 2008 AFC Champions League.

He still has a soft spot for Adelaide and concedes that an A-League swan song in his hometown might be the perfect ending once his second chapter in Malaysia is over.

"You never know in football. I've always had a dream to play for my home city again one day. But most players don't get a fairy-tale ending. Whatever happens is what's meant to be," Cornthwaite said.

"As for my Western Sydney chapter, captaining the club is one of the highlights of my career. I only wish I had had Tony Popovic as a coach when I was just starting out in football."

http://www.espnfc.com.au/club/perak/8831/blog/post/3398519/robert-cornthwaite-returns-to-malaysia-having-nothing-to-prove?src=com

21 minutes ago, Carns said:

 

Interesting

#GombauOut

10 minutes ago, StringerBellend said:

 

Interesting

 

#GombauOut

What was it , been deleted I think 

Just now, xxBrandonxx said:

What was it , been deleted I think 

Carns post above especially the bit about

Once you're not enjoying things, it's hard to perform well," Cornthwaite said. "Working with Tony Popovic was one of the best learning experiences I've had as a player because I loved his attention to detail, with a no-nonsense, winning mentality -- at all costs.

"When there was a change of managers, the club started to head in a direction that I didn't really enjoy anymore. [Gombau] is a lot more relaxed than 'popa' and a different style of coach who wants to be friends with the players. It certainly worked well for him in the past, but I prefer more of a boss."

3 minutes ago, StringerBellend said:

Carns post above especially the bit about

 

Once you're not enjoying things, it's hard to perform well," Cornthwaite said. "Working with Tony Popovic was one of the best learning experiences I've had as a player because I loved his attention to detail, with a no-nonsense, winning mentality -- at all costs.

"When there was a change of managers, the club started to head in a direction that I didn't really enjoy anymore. [Gombau] is a lot more relaxed than 'popa' and a different style of coach who wants to be friends with the players. It certainly worked well for him in the past, but I prefer more of a boss."

 

 

Really interesting. Perhaps explains why they’ve all turned into soft cocks. 

"As for my Western Sydney chapter, captaining the club is one of the highlights of my career. I only wish I had had Tony Popovic as a coach when I was just starting out in football."

Amazing the number of players that have said this.  I can't remember them all, but a few.

1 minute ago, xxBrandonxx said:

Really interesting. Perhaps explains why they’ve all turned into soft cocks. 

When the #popaout crew were in loud voice, there were many saying "be careful what you wish for".  People think sport is all about tactics and skill. As Fozzie would say - technical and tactical. Most of all it is mental, and Popa was great at that side of things.

Cornthwaite joining Saba in the bitch about the coach after leaving routine. Remember Cornthwaite was the one who walked off the pitch with Foxe backing him up when Gombau wanted them to train before the Jets game last year. Is pushing the players to train hard sound like something a coach who "just wants to be friends with the players" would do?

Anyone notice the dig at the FFA in terms of calling the A-League stagnant and that the running of the game in Australia needs to improve? Or did we all have the blinkers on and tried to find #GombauOut only

Yeah I didn’t see him having too much of a jab at gombau or wsw just said he preferred popa 

more directed at gallop 

I am still baffled how gombau prefers twaite over him 

12 hours ago, mack said:

Cornthwaite joining Saba in the bitch about the coach after leaving routine. Remember Cornthwaite was the one who walked off the pitch with Foxe backing him up when Gombau wanted them to train before the Jets game last year. Is pushing the players to train hard sound like something a coach who "just wants to be friends with the players" would do?

It was about the timing of the training session, and we saw the result in Newcastle.

Once upon a time the WSW were a side which could pump the opposition for 90 minutes and beyond. Now the don't even last until the Poznan. Also, the lack of leadership around the WSW HAL team on and off the pitch is obvious. Foxe and Cornflakes saw it all happening, and that's why they are gone.

50 minutes ago, FCB said:

Once upon a time the WSW were a side which could pump the opposition for 90 minutes and beyond. Now the don't even last until the Poznan. Also, the lack of leadership around the WSW HAL team on and off the pitch is obvious. Foxe and Cornflakes saw it all happening, and that's why they are gone.

WSW were dying in games well before Gombau came in.

10 minutes ago, Carns said:

WSW were dying in games well before Gombau came in.

Indeed. Don't get me started about Popa's slow starts into the season. But in previous years it would pick up quickly. This year it hasn't. 

9 hours ago, GunnerWanderer said:

Yeah I didn’t see him having too much of a jab at gombau or wsw just said he preferred popa 

more directed at gallop 

I am still baffled how gombau prefers twaite over him 

Really? I read it as Popa had a win at all costs mentality the new guy doesn’t so I’m off.

thats is as much as a go at gombau as you are likely to get in an interview 

I just read it as I’m not really enjoying here anymore I’m happy to move on to the next thing... could be wrong guess unless one spoke to him directly you can’t be sure 

He was also saying he was ready to sign another contract with us before this Malaysian deal came through so couldn't have been that bad... 

1 hour ago, GunnerWanderer said:

I just read it as I’m not really enjoying here anymore I’m happy to move on to the next thing... could be wrong guess unless one spoke to him directly you can’t be sure 

Maybe but to say Popa was win at all costs and then in the next breath say Gombau is very different 

21 minutes ago, wswnick said:

He was also saying he was ready to sign another contract with us before this Malaysian deal came through so couldn't have been that bad... 

Just cos he would've signed a new contract doesn't mean he was going to get one from Gombau.

I’d take him over either of our current centre backs. Even though he is cut out for philosophy ball, but then again neither are the other 2

6 hours ago, StringerBellend said:

I’d take him over either of our current centre backs. Even though he is cut out for philosophy ball, but then again neither are the other 2

I meant not cut out obviously 

did anyone say bitter hack?

6 minutes ago, GoatyMcGoatFace said:

did anyone say bitter hack?

No. He not speak with forked tongue.

Has retired from pro football halfway through his Malaysian deal. Might end up doing NPL stuff in Queensland.

Does "Retired" 100% mean retired, or might the next thing we hear be that he has signed with Glory?