NRMA Insurance Western Sydney Wanderers Coach Tony Popovic is enjoying watching the squad play each week and can see constant progression and improvement.
NRMA Insurance Western Sydney Wanderers Coach Tony Popovic is enjoying watching the squad play each week and can see constant progression and improvement.
With arguably the toughest road trip in the Hyundai A-League coming up this weekend against Perth Glory, Popovic will travel with a squad that is confident they can mix it with a much more fancied Glory side.
“It-s proven to be a tough road trip for everyone and they (Perth Glory) have been playing well,” Popovic said. “They had a good second half of last season and have continued with that form but we-ll be heading over there confident.”
“All round they have a strong squad, a lot of people talk about how physical they are but aside from that they have a number of skilful players and I think sometimes they don-t get the credit they deserve.
“Their physical game style isn-t something that we will talk about as there are many aspects of their game that we-ll look into.”
The Wanderers will head west without midfielder Mateo Poljak, who will miss the clash through injury but Popovic was quick to say it would only be a short-term stint on the sidelines.
“It is a loss, he has been effective and has got better and better as time as gone on. I think we have seen improvement with a lot of the foreign players in the league but Mateo has adjusted well to the style and pace of the play here in Australia.
“It was touch and go for him, if it wasn-t a long trip he-d definitely have a better chance.”
With Poljak-s omission it leaves open a chance for someone else within the squad to take their opportunity to perform well but Popovic was not giving anything away in relation to who that may be.
“It-s not clear yet, we have a couple of sessions before then and I-ll discuss with the coaching staff but with a lot of players fit and healthy we have a number of options we could use. “
