He’s only played five games for the club but it’s been enough to earn Brendon Santalab a new two-year deal with the Western Sydney Wanderers.
He’s only played five games for the club but it’s been enough to earn Brendon Santalab a new two-year deal with the Western Sydney Wanderers.
Santalab, who joined the Wanderers from Chinese Super League club Chongqing Lifan in August, has made an immediate impact at the club and will remain in Sydney’s west until the end of the A-League 2015/16 season.
“It’s fantastic to sign with the Wanderers, I’m happy I’m going to be here for the next two and a half years,” Santalab said.
“It’s been an amazing start already; we’re undefeated after five games and I’ve been part of the squad each week so for myself, the team and the club it’s great.
“It was not a difficult choice to re-sign with the Wanderers, we’ve got fantastic fans, an unbelievable coach and when you’re working under Tony Popovic and he offers you a new contract it makes the decision easy.
“Popa has changed me in many ways already; my work rate and things at training I’ve really improved and he makes people better footballers and better people.
“When I signed the first time Popa told me the coaching staff will make me a better footballer and a better person and that’s very important.”
The 31-year-old attacker came off the bench in the first three games but has started the club’s last two wins against Adelaide and the Melbourne Heart.
While he has yet the score for his new club, the former Sydney FC player’s versatility is a huge asset for Popovic who has already used Santalab in three different positions this season.
Santalab said the decision to stay was an easy one, with every aspect of the club more than meeting his expectations.
“The supporters are one of the first things you think about when you’re offered something like this,” he said.
“You think of your fans, you think of the club as a whole, your teammates and your coach and at the moment all of that is top shelf so I’m delighted to have signed up.
“I’ll keep plugging away, keep getting better, improving working hard and keep the wins coming for the Wanderers.”
