Wanderers boss Marko Rudan delivered an extraordinary press conference after the Wanderers went down 4-3 to Macarthur on Sunday night. These are the key talking points from Round 15 in the Isuzu UTE A-League.
Marko Rudan’s explosive press conference
Sunday night’s showdown between Macarthur FC and 10-man Western Sydney Wanderers had it all – seven goals, a red card and drama!
Macarthur escaped with a last-gasp 4-3 win over their cross-town rivals at Campbelltown Stadium, where hat-trick hero Valere Germain scored in the 93rd minute.
There was contention over Germain’s late winner, with Wanderers goalkeeper Lawrence Thomas adamant the ball did not cross the line.
In his post match press conference, Marko Rudan spoke uninterrupted for six minutes. Here is every word of what he said.
MATCH REPORT: 7 goals, a red card & a 93rd-minute winner! Macarthur win A-Leagues classic v Wanderers
“Yeah, the result is not what I wanted, but I’ll start by praising my players and the effort and the fight,” the Wanderers boss said.
“And the chances that we created and you know, we conceded from from two corners, which was disappointing because we’re quite resolute in that area.
And then the game changes on its head with a red card and everything else and and I’ll start by saying, there is an absolute stigma attached to my football club.
“It’s clear for all to see, you can say whatever you want, but this guy, whatever his name is (referee Adam Kersey) or whatever, right? There’s a bit of history between myself and him and he knows that very well.
“For the life of me how (Valere) Germain stays on the pitch when he kicks out of my player in that first half, I have absolutely no idea how that is anything that it’s only deemed a yellow card when it’s a retaliation, it is a clear red (card), and happened to my players last year.
“But when it does happen to my football club, and my players they don’t even think twice, it’s a straight red. The last two weeks we’ve had two players who are not synonymous for making fouls or being dirty, yet straight reds.
“Alex King was the VAR tonight. The message to us was not enough angles to see if it was if the ball was over the line for the winner. Come on… and then the linesman is clear and adamant that it went over the line at the same time with three or four bodies around him. Okay, no dramas, they don’t look at it.
“But the one that really angers me is the yellow card that Germain clearly kicks out and throws his studs. My two reds in the last two weeks, they’re not kicking out they’re not showing studs. Right?
“(Aidan Simmons) last week slipped clearly, it looked bad live because he rushed in. But in actual fact, the more you slower down, the better It looks. (Tom Beadling), I have to have a look up as another one we didn’t see studs up.
“But their player goes studs up, gives them a yellow, and then we’re all seeing it on TV Live. We’re trying to speak to the fourth official to have a look at it. He said, I didn’t see anything other than that. That’s what the VAR was there for.
“But I’ll go deeper than that,” Rudan continued.
“Because when this club, this football club was created, everyone spoke around the league in glowing fashion about the color, the entertainment, the noise, the singing, and how it was a godsend to to the league, right?
“Then all of a sudden, whether that’s forced or unforced, the west of Sydney is a diverse multicultural area made up of predominantly Europeans. My parents were one of them. Football in Europe and South America and all over the world when it comes to fans is on a different level. So everybody praises the club praises its fans for doing all that.
“And then some issues occur. And all of a sudden, since that moment, years ago, there’s been a stigma and our poor fans and members have had to pay the price. A lot of people have lost trust in the league because of it. Certainly the fans around the country keep talking about a successful Wanderers. Well, they’re not turning up because they’ve lost trust and faith in the system.
“But anywhere else in the world, you see fireworks, you see the smoke, you see the noise, it’s crazy. That’s what differentiates our game from every other code in this country.
“I’m just sick and tired of the decisions that continually go against us. I’ve shut my mouth for a long time. But we were the cleanest team in the competition three weeks ago. The cleanest. Least amount of yellows, least amount of fouls, no reds apart from Josh (Brillante’s).
“And then all of a sudden we get to in two weeks and then any opportunity these guys get – and it’s not me having a sook here because there are a lot of clubs with good fan bases, Victory, Sydney FC, Phoenix when they get going, the Mariners, Adelaide. But this club brought something different to the league. I think we all sitting here, respect that.
“But there’s something clearly wrong. It’s clear, ever since I’ve come into the football club, you feel it even more as an outsider watching. I saw it unfold, and I thought it’s quite unfair. And I’m not sitting here having a sook or a whinge or whatever it might sound like that.
“I’m just defending my football club, my fans, my players who are fantastic tonight, as we’re our fans. You take our fans away from that tonight… there’s nothing there. I’ll be honest with you. All right, you don’t get any kind of entertainment. And that’s what this club can provide.
“But the more we try to push forward as a football club and try to be as successful as it was back in the day, it seems to me as though nobody wants that to happen, but just don’t want to see it happen. And it’s really disappointing to the point where someone needs to say something.
“And I believe my role at this football club allows me and this platform to have a voice and to say something.
“We can talk about the game, and I congratulate Macarthur for their three points. But like I said, the game could have been so much different, had the referee done his job properly. And then you got a fourth official who makes a decision on the throw-in early on the piece, who then has also the help of the two lines, man, but he was right there.
“And he deems that a yellow card, the whole game changes if he actually makes the right decision. And that’s disappointing, right? But like I said, at the end, we walk away with nothing, even though we deserve to have something.
“I’ve got nothing but praise from my players, my staff and my fans, and we keep moving forward, and it’s going to make us stronger, and better, I believe with bodies coming back. So thanks. That’s all I’ve got to say. Thank you.”
Rudan has since been issued with a show cause notice under the Football Australia Code of Conduct & Ethics.
Heart and spirit the two forces ‘underpinning’ Glory’s improving form
Perth Glory boss Alen Stajcic believes his side’s thrilling 4-2 win over Melbourne City showcases just how much character his side possesses.
Despite going behind twice in the game, and having their backs up against the wall throughout the 90 minutes, Glory walked away with all three points against City and Stajcic says the two main ingredients were something you can’t train.
“Another performance with heart and spirit and fighting to the death,” reflected Stajcic during his post-match press conference. “Certainly there were moments there where we rode our luck a little bit.
“You know, we just kept fighting all the way until the end. We had to fight uphill a few times to come back in the game and just show that spirit all the way ’til the end.
“On top of the hard work, some of the technical and tactical things during the game, just to have that underpinning all that is something everyone should be proud of.”
MATCH REPORT: Debutant’s delight as Glory come from behind to defeat City in six-goal thriller
After a rough patch of form Perth are now starting to find some consistency, picking up seven points from their last three games.
“Its just good to have all that effort and it be rewarded with points as well,” added Stajcic.
“It just builds that little belief and confidence that we’re heading in the right direction. That’s the most important thing.”
Key to the win over City were two players who have thus far had very different seasons in Western Australia. Club captain Adam Taggart continued his prolific goalscoring form, bagging his ninth of the season to make it 3-2, but equally as important was the performance of recalled goalkeeper Oli Sail.
Having joined from Wellington in the off-season, Sail began the campaign as the club’s number one only to find himself warming the bench after a far from impressive start. However the New Zealand international has now featured in the last three matches, helping his side remain unbeaten in that time and subsequently drew praise from Stajcic after the game.
“Certainly there were moments there where we rode our luck a little bit,” said Stajcic. “Oli Sail produced some clutch saves for us there. I thought it was a brilliant performance from him to keep us in those critical moments.”
Stajcic may well have found the perfect blend of youth and experience for this Glory side with the likes of 17-year-old Daniel Bennie impressing during his 77 minutes on the pitch before veteran David Williams once again came off the bench to do more damage.
“I’m pleased for Daniel Bennie, to get an assist like that,” reflected Stajcic.
“He’s 17 years old and he’s playing big minutes for us virtually every game…”
He continued: “You’ve got to reflect on a 17-year-old boy being able to produce against the calibre of players that I just mentioned (Tolgay Arslan, Mat Leckie, Jamie Maclaren). It’s good for him to have such an impact on the game and keep growing and learning.”
Phoenix relishing top-of-the-table clash despite dropping points against Roar
Wellington Phoenix head coach Giancarlo Italiano admits there’s no time to dwell on what could have been after the ‘Nix dropped two points late on against Brisbane Roar.
Bozhidar Kraev’s fourth goal of the campaign looked to have sealed a ninth win of the season for Wellington only for Corey Brown to snatch a late point for the Roar after heading home the equaliser in the 94th minute.
“I’m disappointed to give the two points away at the end,” said a frustrated Italiano during his post-match press conference. “I felt we did enough to graft that out.
“I think there was one moment in the first half where I felt like they got in behind us and it was just a blocked cross – I didn’t really think they had much else apart from that.
“If you look at the amount of changes I had to make because of some unplanned substitutions with injuries and players fatiguing and so on… it probably cost us in the end.”
That draw meant Wellington blew the chance to extend their lead at the top to five points and Italiano’s side could now find themselves knocked off top spot come Tuesday afternoon when they face the high-flying Mariners at Sky Stadium.
Mark Jackson’s side dismantled Adelaide United 4-0 at Coopers Stadium to extend their unbeaten run to 11 matches and they now head into the re-arranged clash in New Zealand in second place and breathing down the necks of Italiano’s men.
Add to that the fact the game also takes place on ‘Waitangi Day’ – the national day of New Zealand – it’s set to be an absolute cracker across the ditch and Italiano is relishing the prospect of taking on the Mariners.
“Im looking forward to it,” said Italiano. “I think the fans will come out in force. I think it’s a big game for us. Out of all the teams in the A-League the Mariners are the ones who impress me the most.
He continued: “They have a new coach with a different way to what they were playing last year. They’re a young group, new ideas and I actually enjoy watching their football.
“I think they provide something to the league that no one else does so I’ll enjoy that from a tactical and from a coaching point. I get excited by this and so does the group.”
Jackson addresses Torres rumours & talks up Nisbet for Soccerooos
Again, Angel Torres and Josh Nisbet stole the spotlight for the Central Coast Mariners as they destroyed Adelaide United 4-0 at Coopers Stadium on Saturday night.
Torres added another two goals to take his tally into double figures for the season, but rumours continue surrounding potential interest in his services from South Korea.
Meanwhile, Nisbet’s stock continues to rise as his case for a Socceroos call-up mounts.
Speaking after the match, Mariners boss Mark Jackson addressed both talking points.
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