It’s the equivalent of Milos Ninkovic leaving former club Red Star Belgrade for fierce rivals Partizan in his native Serbia.
Ninkovic looms as the enemy in 2022-23, going from Sydney FC legend to the ultimate villain after sensationally crossing the divide to Western Sydney Wanderers.
A legacy seven years in the making, the three-time A-League Men Champion and two-time Johnny Warren Medallist is set to become just the fourth player to represent both clubs in the Sydney Derby.
Former Sydney and Wanderers goalkeeper Vedran Janjetovic is among that select few to experience both sides of the cross-town rivalry.
Janjetovic is expecting “fireworks” in one of Australian sport’s biggest club fixtures.
“The Derby is going to be absolutely spicy this year,” Janjetovic, who departed the Wanderers at the end of the season, told KEEPUP.
“I expect fireworks, I expect challenges, I expect 20-30,000 to get there.
“I think this year is going to be the year that derbies are back and everything is in full force.”
“There’s obviously going to be the consequences that come with moving over for him as well but he is an absolute legend of Sydney FC,” he added.
“For him, this move is going to be massive. It’s going to huge for the fans, followers and everyone.
“He is an unbelievable professional, so he will be able to handle everything thrown his way.”
Crossing enemy lines
Janjetovic featured in his fair share of Sydney derbies during his time in the A-League Men.
After four seasons and 100 appearances in a Sydney jersey, Janjetovic caused a stir when he swapped Sky Blue for the red and black of the Wanderers during the 2016-17 season.
“It wasn’t an easy decision but it was more so a decision based on myself and development at the time,” Janjetovic, who even played alongside Ninkovic before the big switch, recalled.
“I was at a hard spot, changing goalkeeper coaches wasn’t easy for me… Tried my best to capture the way I was told to do things but it just wasn’t working after spending so much time with Spider [Zeljko Kalac].
“I sort of lost myself as a goalkeeper throughout the process. The opportunity came up and it happened to be the Wanderers. Spider was there.
“Every player on the planet would tell you that having their own coach or someone they’ve been mentored by is always easier to have around. You get along, know what to expect and it just flows. That was the main reason I made the switch in the end.”
The reunion
Janjetovic returned to Sydney Football Stadium, in front of more than 40,000 supporters, as the opposition in January 2017.
And who can forget the viral images of Sydney fans, who once cheered Janjetovic, showering his goal with plastic and lolly snakes.
“That’s all part and parcel of it,” he said. “If you don’t enjoy those moments, be it good or bad, you’re never going to get the full experience and enjoyment.
“Just living it up, doing what you do. We knew the move would come with consequences and that was going to be one of them, especially going back to Sydney’s home ground.
“I didn’t know what to expect but in the end it was the lollies and snakes, which is pretty good by them. Good banter. You just have to laugh it up and enjoy it. There was no malice behind any of it.
“They’re just expressing their feelings towards you. Obviously if they didn’t express any kind of feelings, you wouldn’t feel loved or wanted back in a way.”
Did he eat any of the snakes?
“I don’t think I did. I ate one the next day…,” Janjetovic joked. “It could be worse things.
“Two biggest teams in Sydney. Of course it’s going to happen. There’s going to be some backlash.”
Playing the Derby
“I can’t even put words to describe the feeling when you walk out,” Janjetovic said as he reflected on his own Derby experiences.
It’s a fierce rivalry that dates back to 2012 and historical, cultural and sporting factors have led to this must-watch fixture being considered one of the biggest across any code Down Under.
An A-Leagues record crowd of almost 62,000 spectators packed into Stadium Australia to watch Sydney crush the Wanderers 4-0 in October 2016 – prior to Janjetovic’s departure.
More than 44,000 fans watched the third instalment of the Sydney Derby later that season, with Janjetovic’s Wanderers coming out on top at the same venue.
“It’s like no other game. Even like Grand Finals. 45,000 at Allianz,” said Janjetovic. “You don’t see that during the season. It’s not a normal thing.
“When you’re in the dressing room, you can literally feel the rumbles of the stands, you can hear the fans chanting. It pumps you up.
“I can’t even describe the feeling. It’s a massive adrenaline rush. When you get the call to walk out, you take it all in but you have to focus.
“It’s so beautiful to see half the field blue and the other half red and black.
“I can’t even put words to describe the feeling when you walk out. It’s an amazing feeling and something I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”
