Before voting closes on the Foxtel A-League All Stars, let’s look at some contenders. Today, it’s the Wanderers’ impenetrable defensive pairing.
With voting for the Foxtel A-League All Stars team to face Manchester United due to close on 30 April, who do you think should be on the team on 24 July?
Let-s look at some of the players on the fringes of the squad, vying for a position to face the 20-times Premier League champions. Today, it-s the Western Sydney Wanderers centrebacks, who formed the meanest defensive partnership in the competition. Should one or these – or both – get a berth in the All Stars team?
Defenders
Michael Beauchamp
Success has been a long time coming for Michael Beauchamp. After starting his career in the NSL, Beauchamp has now played for four A-League clubs (Central Coast, Melbourne Heart, Sydney FC and now the Wanderers) in between a stint in Europe and collecting 22 caps for the Qantas Socceroos.
For a player so well-travelled and so highly rated, it is somewhat surprising he only won his first medal with the Wanderers- premiership this season. But what a season. Beauchamp-s experience and strength at the back has been crucial to the now boys- success in their first season.
A classy centre half, Beauchamp-s ability to read the play and the confidence gained from a season working with Tony Popovic could make him a valuable addition to Ange Postecoglou-s All Stars team.
Nikolai Topor-Stanley
The form of “Hyphen” is one of the stories of the season. After 81 appearances for the Newcastle Jets, Topor-Stanley-s promising career appeared to be stalling. He had impressed coming through the ranks at Sydney FC and enjoyed a couple of good seasons with Perth Glory but it was at the Jets where NTS was expected to live up to his potential.
With the club in turmoil, however, chances for success were limited and after being released form his contract, was free to follow a new opportunity with Tony Popovic and the unknown quantity that were the Wanderers.
Didn-t they all live up to the challenge? Topor-Stanley responded brilliantly to the advice of Popovic and became a vital part of an impenetrable defensive triumvirate alongside goalkeeper Ante Covic, defensive partner Beauchamp.
Such is his improvement in form, Topor-Stanley is once again being tipped for a Socceroos jersey. So would he do the job against Manchester United?
Voting for the Foxtel A-League All Stars closes on 30 April, so click here to pick your team and have your say.
