“Usually I don’t go down (injured), and when I do go down, then usually something’s wrong.”
Get your tickets to Saturday night’s blockbuster Sydney Derby double header here.
By his own admission, Brandon Borrello is a player who tries to stay on the pitch at all costs, so when he fell to the floor after being on the receiving end of a rough challenge from Luke Brattan in the last Sydney Derby, it was clear the injury was not a minor one.
“We had to take my boot off to put a sort of a wedge – a heel lift they call it – into the boot, but my foot wouldn’t go back into the boot. And that’s sort of when we knew now we’re gonna have to call it quits.”
Borrello was substituted soon after, and diagnosed with a broken foot, meaning he’d need surgery that would keep him out of action for three months; compounding the news, it meant he missed out on Asian Cup selection with the Socceroos, where he was almost nailed on to play a key role in the side.
Despite the cruel blow, Borrello tries to look at it philosophically, as his replacement Zac Sapsford instead got his chance to write his name into Sydney Derby folklore with his brilliant winner midway through the second half against his former club.
“It was kind of written in the stars, Zacky (Sapsford) came on and scored that late winter, which was great. So it just goes to show the boys are putting in a shift, and it’s always that next man up mentality.
“Credit to him, he’s done that and he got us the win.”
It’s also arguably written in the stars that Borrello is approaching full fitness just in time for the next Sydney Derby in two rounds time. He says it doesn’t take long for new players to understand the scale and enormity of the clash, and its importance in the Australian football landscape.
“I remember speaking to a few of the boys in our first Derby this season, they stepped out on the pitch, and they’re like, ‘wow, this is amazing!’ And I think you sort of stopped for a second, take a deep breath and realise where you are.
“It’s a great sign to see where our game is when we’re packing out a stadium – especially for the derby – because I think the boys then do get a sense of where Western Sydney is compared to Eastern Sydney or Sydney FC, whatever you want to call them.”
Whilst Borrello has been known for stoking the fire with his comments to the media, he is instead choosing to issue a call to arms to all Wanderers fans to get behind the team not just for this home derby, but for the rest of the season.
“We need that passion And we don’t want people just to turn up for derbies, we want them there every week.
“The derby is something special for all of us. But we as a team and as a club want everyone there for those games that people might not think of as important.
“I think everyone sees in the league now how tight it is, how important every single game is, So my advice is turn up, wear something Red and Black and just scream your lungs out, because I think every team in the league is definitely frightened of us. And when we turn up in the masses then it just does us justice.”
