The final round of the A-league brought last year’s grand finalists together for a rematch at Coopers on Friday night, the game ending 2-2. For Adelaide it brings to end a miserable season from champions to 2nd to bottom and for the Wanderers, we’ll they will progress through to finals football, a title is what Popovich craves and if he brings one to Western Sydney, his goal would be accomplished and likely move on to more lucrative football coaching positions.
With Adelaide losing 6 of its best last year and perhaps struggling to replenish its ranks in the off season, the year has been character building to say the least for the club and its fans. A league success inevitably brings attraction to your playing group and an exodus is expected, as also happened to the Wanderers, when they were Champions of Asia a couple of season back.
Friday nights match was more of a swansong for the reds, probably it’s the final time you’ll see Galekovic in goals, Mcgowan and La Rocca in defense, Carussca threading through one of his divine passes and Cirio attacking hard down the flanks, with so many players out of contract it will be a very different Reds next season.
With no news on coach Amor, who will most likely move on and also fans wondering if Diawara will sign on there, are a lot of questions for recruiting to fill at the reds this off season. On a brighter note the young guns of Garuccio, O’Doherty, McGee and Melusnic will probably be around next season, a little wiser and hungrier.
For the Wanderers they go on into the finals once again, scrapping into the top 6. They’ve had a tipsy- turvy season also and early on Popovich’s head was also being called for, but they fought back in the final rounds to finish sixth, if they beat the roaron Friday night, they will need to beat Sydney in the semis to reach the Grand Final. Anything is possible and the Wanderers were the only team to beat Sydney FC in the minor season
Words by Cosi Dicheira
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