The Western Sydney Wanderers will depart for Dubai tomorrow for a 10-day training camp to prepare for their upcoming AFC Champions League (ACL) Semi-Finals and the Hyundai A-League 2014/15 Season.
Following the team’s heroics in the ACL Quarter Finals against Guangzhou Evergrande, the Wanderers are set to undergo an intensive schedule at the NAD Al Sheba Sports Complex in Dubai, the private facility of the His Highness Sheikh Hamdan, Crown Prince of Dubai.
The facility is an invitation only training facility used by the likes of Manchester United and has been in operation for the past 12 months and is set to host a number of this season’s UEFA Champions League and notable international teams in the coming year.
The training camp will also include the Club’s entry into the International Petroleum Investments Company Championship (IPIC) in Abu Dhabi against East Riffa Club and Al Jazira FC.
With a 40 match season ahead which includes the Club’s upcoming ACL Semi-Final matches scheduled for 17 September and 1 October against FC Seoul, planning has been long underway to ensure the team is in peak physical and mental condition to compete across all competitions.
Wanderers CEO John Tsatsimas believes this opportunity not only offers the Club exposure to new conditions but also to one of the best training centres in world football.
“This is a world class facility conducive to the preparation we need for the coming season,” said Tsatsimas.
“This season we are competing on a number of fronts and the opportunity to train at the NAD Al Sheba Sports Complex offers us conditions we have not yet experienced in a high performance environment used by some of the biggest teams in world football.
“Our pre-season tour to China and Japan last season was an experience that offered us both an understanding of the conditions we would face in this year’s ACL and the mentality to deal with the testing travel and playing conditions we would face in Asia. We need to acclimate to all the conditions that we may be required to play in whether that be during the hot summer months of the A-League or the Champions League.”
This is the first time an Australian team has been invited to use this facility and compete in this tournament.
NRMA Insurance Western Sydney Wanderers Dubai Pre-Season Tour
31 August – 10 September, 2014
NRMA Insurance Western Sydney Wanderers Hyundai A-League squad for 2014/15 season: 1. Ante Covic, 2. Shannon Cole, 3. Daniel Mullen, 4. Nikolai Topor-Stanley, 5. Brendan Hamill, 6. Antony Golec, 7. Labinot Haliti, 8. Mateo Poljak, 10. Vitor Saba, 11. Brendon Santalab, 13. Matthew Spiranovic, 14. Kwabena Appiah, 15. Yianni Perkatis, 17. Romeo Castelen, 18. Iacopo La Rocca, 19. Mark Bridge, 20. Dean Bouzanis, 23. Jason Trifiro, 31. Alusine Fofanah, Thomas Manos (NYL), Steve Kuzmanovski (NYL)
Unavailable due to National Team selection:
9. Tomi Juric (Socceroos), 32. Daniel Alessi (Young Socceroos), Jaushua Sotirio (Young Socceroos)
Unavailable due to injury:
34. Golgol Mebrahtu (knee)
Unavailable:
Seyi Adeleke
International Petroleum Investments Company Championship (IPIC)
Thursday 4 September: East Riffa Club v Western Sydney Wanderers FC
Sport Division Stadium, Armed Forces Officers Club, Abu Dhabi – 7.30pm (1.30am AET)
Sunday 7 September: Al Jazira FC v Western Sydney Wanderers FC
Sport Division Stadium, Armed Forces Officers Club, Abu Dhabi – 7.30pm (1.30am AET)
Western Sydney Wanderers memberships are on sale now! Head to http://wanderers.memberhq.com.au/ for more information and to sign up today!
