The Wanderers have a 22-man squad preparing for the A-League kick-off next month, but five of those players aren’t available for the away leg against the Korean side on Wednesday night.
Tomi Juric, Brendon Santalab and Shannon Cole are out suspended, Matthew Spiranovic is injured and Romeo Castelen is ineligible after signing for the club too late to be registered for the ACL.
All five would likely be in the squad for round one of the A-League, if fit.
It is a big chunk of experienced players missing for arguably the biggest game the Wanderers have played in their short history but CEO John Tsatsimas said the club has faced major challenges before and handled them and was ready to do so again.
“Look, we are short on numbers, but it is what it is,” Tsatsimas said, from Seoul. “We have to approach the match as it stands and we’re happy to do so. The replacements have performed for us every time.
“You put together a squad to do a job. There are no players at the Wanderers who are here just in case, to play a five-minute season.
“Any player in a squad coached by Tony Popovic is capable of handling a situation. They have in the past and they’ll continue to do so. They’re all part of the squad for a reason and they all make a real contribution to the season.
“This is why we shape the squad the way it is, for moments like the game we have here in Seoul. We will rely on the squad, the same as we have all along.
“Every player we’ve handed a shirt since Wanderers came into existence has done the club proud and we see no reason why that won’t continue.
“They’re a great bunch of players, very professional. We’ve had a great preparation in Dubai, at a training camp there, and they’re all raring to go.
“Whenever players are out it’s an opportunity for other people to shine and they’ve all taken that opportunity in the past. This is another opportunity and we’re looking forward to the players coming up and doing well.”
Western Sydney parted company with a host of star players at the end of last season, including Shinji Ono, Aaron Mooy, Youssouf Hersi and Jerome Polenz.
The club has signed Brazilian playmaker Vitor Saba, Dutchman Castelen, who is a wide attacker, young central defender Brendan Hamill and another defender, Nigerian Seyi Adeleke, who has not yet arrived at the club due to a visa issue – which Tastsimas said was being sorted out.
The scheduling of the ACL quarter-final and semi-final games during the A-League off-season presented the club with another challenge, since Saba hadn’t been at the club for long.
He was only used off the bench in both legs of the quarter-final tie against Guangzhou Evergrande but must be well in the running to start against FC Seoul.
Hamill looks to be a typically clever signing by Popovic. He deputised very well for Spiranovic in the quarter-final games and will be given the same responsibility against the Koreans.
Wanderers goalkeeper Ante Covic was very impressed with the job Hamill has done.
“‘Popa wasn’t fearful for a second of having Brendan play the two games against Guangzhou, and Brendan did everyone proud,” Covic said. “He’s got a really bright future ahead of him.
“I think what Popa wants to achieve is to create a situation where every position has two people fighting for that spot. That’s not to suggest doubts about anyone, it’s to lift everyone up and get the best out of them. No-one can sit there and relax, thinking they’ve got their spot.
“It keeps everyone on their toes, keeps everyone at their best, because no-one wants to lose their spot. Popa has proved over and over again that he’s not scared to use any player at any time.”
The Wanderers have room to add one more player to the squad for the A-League but Tsatsimas said there was no rush.
“It’s got to be the right player at the right time,” he said.
“We may keep it up our sleeve until someone comes along that really suits the squad. Unless it fills the criteria for a player that we need, we’re not going to use it just to make up the numbers.”
source:sbs.com.au
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