Western Sydney Wanderers interim coach Jean-Paul de Marigny says his side have worked on their mindset and attitude since his takeover, and are already seeing the rewards.
Western Sydney Wanderers interim coach Jean-Paul de Marigny says his side have worked on their mindset and attitude since his takeover, and are already seeing the rewards.
The Red & Black won their first game under de Marigny’s watch on Sunday afternoon, defeating Central Coast Mariners 3-1 on the road.
The result snapped a three-game losing streak which resulted in the sacking of Markus Babbel on January 20, the morning after their 1-0 loss at home to Perth Glory in Round 15.
With a bye in Round 16 de Marigny had a two-week block to work intensely with his players to get them ready for their clash with the Mariners; de Marigny says a shift in the group’s mindset and attitude was necessary to steer their season back on track, and the early signs point to his efforts having a positive effect.
“The whole couple of weeks we just talked about mindset and attitude,” de Marigny told FOX Sports after his side’s 3-1 win at Central Coast Stadium.
“Being strong collectively, mentally strong, and with that said and done it’s important what we do with the ball.
“There was a lot of belief there and the freedom to play as quickly as possible, it showed a lot of bravery.
“It was very pleasing for the boys, I was really happy for them.”
One player in particular that benefited from the two-week block of training leading into Round 17 was Wanderers striker Simon Cox, who joined the club just days before Babbel’s sacking.
The Irish striker made his debut against the Mariners, coming off the bench to win a penalty for the second goal and score the third for his side in what was a near-perfect Hyundai A-League bow.
Cox says he has enjoyed the time between his arrival and his first game as he’s adjusted to both the searing Australian heat and the style of football played in the Hyundai A-League.
“It was good for me, I wanted to get fit and I wanted to make sure I was eligible to play,” Cox told FOX Sports post-match.
“It’s been a good two weeks for me personally just settling into life in what is a beautiful city.
“I’m not used to playing in this weather, I was actually quite [grateful] of the breeze that came in.
“It was enjoyable, it was good to get three points, we want to start making a point to the league where we can do something, we can aim for the top six, and start pushing from now.
“I thought we were a little bit sloppy, I myself gave one ball away before I went on to get the third.
“For us, we need to be a little bit more resilient at the back.
“We know we can score goals, we’ve shown that today, as long as we can be resilient at the back we’ll be fine.”
After starting the de Marigny era with a win, the Wanderers will now turn their attention to a blockbuster Round 18 clash with Sydney FC next Saturday evening.
They’re the only side who have beaten the Champions all season, and the Sky Blues will be up for revenge when they host the Red and Black at Nestrata Jubilee Stadium.
Round 18
Sydney FC v Western Sydney Wanderers
Saturday, 8 February
Netstrata Jubilee Stadium
Kick off: 5.00pm AEDT
