Coach Carl Robinson’s Western Sydney Wanderers are a big club that should be a lot bigger. Entering their tenth year, the Wanderers count on a large, loud and passionate fanbase, elite facilities, the best home stadium in the country, and some of the most ambitious owners in the country. 

And yet, the club’s A-League side hasn’t played finals football since the 2016-17 season and, despite making three Grand Finals in its first four years and winning an Asian Champions League in 2014, has never won an A-League championship. 

Recruiting Robinson from Newcastle Jets ahead of the 2020-21 season, in a manner that still has a few noses out of joint in the Hunter, and recruiting strongly, hopes were high that the last A-League season would be the one that ended the drought - only for that familiar feeling of disappointment to set in by year’s end. 

Now, despite the challenges wrought by COVID-19, the club has been highly active in recruiting ahead of the coming A-League season and, as the fanbase rumbles with discontent at their continued playoff absence, Robinson is confident that the club has what it takes to succeed.

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