Western Sydney Wanderers fans at Parramatta Stadium. Picture: Gregg Porteous Source: The Daily Telegraph
MY editor wanted me to write about the ``coaching probables'' at Adelaide United, so I'll touch on that later, but it would be remiss of me however to ignore the phenomenon that is Western Sydney.
The AFL must be secretly spewing! They've invested an exorbitant amount of money into the Greater Western Sydney team to build their brand only to be royally gazumped in less than 12 months by, dare I say it, the real football!
Friday night's game against Brisbane was a cracker. It had everything - a full house, high intensity, high quality and bucket loads of passion - in the terraces and on the pitch.
The Wanderers story couldn't be scripted better. It's straight from the fantasy world you live in as a kid.
The reality, though, has been in the process. They have gone about their job with humility. They are very well coached and very well administered.
As a team they play without ego, just as they operate as a club without ego. There's a lesson to be learned in this across the game. They have gone about things the right way. Good luck to them for next Sunday.
Now to the coaching dramas at United.
Phil Stubbins, Ernie Merrick, Miron Bleiberg, Damian Mori, Tony Vidmar have all been mentioned during the reign of the paper tiger (was it ever going to be anything else) that was the now defunct selection panel.
There's no doubt a few more have applied as well but these names appear to be the front runners.
If I had to pick one name off this list, and it will probably be the kiss of death for his candidacy, I would take Stubbins. He's organised and meticulous with a wide range of experience.
As much as I'd like to see a local, Damian Mori, despite not being connected with the club, would bring too much local baggage with him.
Ernie had success in Melbourne but I don't think he's the right fit for Adelaide. Miron is a good bloke and he makes me laugh but he is best suited to the Queensland lifestyle.
Tony Vidmar is better off staying where he is for the sake of his career.
So that leaves Stubbins.
It is worth remembering that he had charge of the squad during the period the FFA had control of the club and ran a very successful pre-season program that eventually set Rini Coolen up for apparent success when he arrived two weeks before the season started.
He also had a lot to do with the club's success under Aurelio Vidmar. Coaching is generally a "short-term'' deal. That's the nature of it.
Stubbins knows Adelaide and the fans have a high opinion of him. If he's got the support of the FFA then give it to him.
It'll put an end to the fiasco this saga has become.
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