2013–14 Western Sydney Wanderers FC Season
The 2013–14 Western Sydney Wanderers FC season was the club's second season since its establishment in 2012. The club participated in the A-League for the second time, as well as the AFC Champions League for the first time. Season overview On 30 April, Western Sydney Wanderers announced the release of four players, Dino Kresinger, Tarek Elrich, Joey Gibbs and Rocky Visconte. Labinot Haliti and Jason Trifiro signed one year extensions to their initial one-year contract on 1 May, as did Tahj Minniecon on 9 May. On 20 May, forward Tomi Jurić signed a two-year deal with the club. On 1 July, defender Dean Heffernan signed a one-year deal with the club. On 31 July, Western Sydney Wanderers agreed on the transfer of midfielder Reece Caira to Wellington Phoenix FC. On 6 August, forward Brendon Šantalab signed a one-year deal with the club. On 1 September, Mark Bridge extended his contract with Western Sydney Wanderers for a further three years, until 2017. On 5 September, Mateo Polj ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Western Sydney Wanderers FC
Western Sydney Wanderers Football Club (colloquially known as Western Sydney, or simply as Wanderers) is an Australian professional soccer club based in the Western Sydney region of Sydney, New South Wales. It competes in the country's premier competition, the A-League, under licence from The Australian Professional Leagues (APL). formerly under licence by the Football Federation Australia (FFA). The club had established itself as a major force in both Australia and Asia, having won one A-League Premiership and an AFC Champions League title in its history. Formed in April 2012 by FFA, Wanderers was established with a strong community focus. A series of community forums across Western Sydney helped choose the club's name and colours, as well as its culture and playing style. The club's record-breaking inaugural season won them an A-League premiership and saw the club reach the 2013 A-League Grand Final. The club followed that up by contesting the 2014 A-League Grand Final ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Rocky Visconte
Rocky Visconte (born 22 April 1990) is an Australian footballer who plays for Cumberland United. Club career Croydon Kings In 2005, he made his first senior appearance for local South Australian Premier League club Croydon Kings. He went on the make 10 appearances. Hearts On 19 September 2006 Visconte was signed by Heart of Midlothian on a three-year contract along with fellow Australian Ryan McGowan, after impressing then Hearts youth coach, Darren Murray, in a trial. On 9 January 2010, he made his first team debut for Hearts against Aberdeen, as the starting left fullback in the fourth round of the Scottish Cup. Visconte then made his first appearance as a substitute in the 3–0 home defeat to Aberdeen. Visconte's first league debut came away to St Johnstone in Jim Jefferies first game back in charge. Ayr United On 3 February 2010, he was loaned out by Hearts to second division club, Ayr United, joining Ryan McGowan who was also on loan. The move was initiated to find r ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Jérome Polenz
Jérome Polenz (born 7 November 1986) is a German retired professional footballer who mostly played as a defender. Club career Early career Polenz was born in Berlin, Germany, to an Algerian father and a German mother. He first began his youth career with SC Siemensstadt at the age of seven before advancing through the youth systems of CFC Hertha 06 and TeBe Berlin. Growing up, Polenz attended the Gymnasium Obervieland and graduated with an Abitur diploma. When he was fifteen years old, Polenz joined Werder Bremen and quickly developed his way through the club's teams. After three years on Bremen's reserve team, he made his first team debut on 4 February 2006, beating Mainz 4–2. Following his debut, Polenz signed his first professional contract with the club, keeping him until 2009. He later went on to make three appearances at the end of the 2005–06 season. Polenz made no appearances in the first team throughout the 2006–07 season. Alemannia Aachen It was announced ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Central Coast Mariners FC
Central Coast Mariners Football Club is an Australian professional soccer club based in Gosford, on the Central Coast of New South Wales. It competes in the A-League Men, under licence from the Australian Professional Leagues (APL). The Mariners were founded in 2004 and are one of the eight original A-League teams. It is the first professional sports club from the Gosford region to compete in a national competition. Despite being considered one of the smallest-market clubs in the league, the Central Coast Mariners have claimed one A-League Championship from four Grand Final appearances and topped the table to win the A-League Premiership twice. The club has also appeared in the AFC Champions League five times. The club plays matches at Central Coast Stadium, a 20,059-seat stadium in Gosford; its purpose-built training facility, Mariners Centre of Excellence, is located in the suburb of Tuggerah. The facility is also home to a youth team that competes in the A-League Youth. ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Matthew Špiranović
Matthew Thomas Spiranovic (born 27 June 1988) is a former Australian soccer player who played as a defender. Spiranovic started his career with Melbourne Victory, making one competitive appearance before being released with the consent of coach Ernie Merrick to join German Bundesliga club 1. FC Nürnberg. Spiranovic struggled in his new climate with both injuries and form, making just 28 first team appearances over four seasons with the German club, playing more frequently for the club's second side. In search of more consistent playing time, Spiranovic then joined Urawa Red Diamonds making 13 league appearances and scoring 1 goal during the 2010 J-League season. At the end of his loan spell, Spiranovic signed permanently for the club in 2011 for a fee of €450.000. Spiranovic has made appearances for Australia during the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. He has also represented Australia at the 2005 OFC U-17 Championship, the 2005 FIFA U-17 World Championship, the 200 ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Mateo Poljak
Mateo Hrvatsko Poljak (; born 10 September 1989) is a Croatian footballer who last played as a Defensive midfielder for Mt Druitt Town Rangers. Club career Croatia After going through the youth ranks of Dinamo Zagreb, Poljak was moved to their feeder team Lokomotiva Zagreb, then playing in the Druga HNL. After a season there he signed a 7-year contract with the club, which was taken over by Dinamo at the beginning of 2010. He spent the next two and a half seasons on loan at NK Lokomotiva, however, before his contract was terminated in the summer of 2012. Western Sydney Wanderers On 13 August 2012 it was announced that Poljak had signed with the newly formed A-League club Western Sydney Wanderers. He signed an initial two-year contract, set to expire in July 2014. In his first season with Western Sydney, he made 25 appearances, a mainstay of the side's midfield, scoring one goal and helping the Wanderers win the A-League premiership in the club's first season. On 5 September ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Mark Bridge
Mark Robert Bridge (born 7 November 1985) is an Australian professional football (soccer) player who plays as a striker for NPL club Mounties Wanderers. Bridge is the Western Sydney Wanderers' first ever goalscorer, earning himself the nickname 'King Bridge' among fans. On 18 April 2015 in the 26th-round match against Adelaide United, Bridge became the ninth player to reach 200 A-League games.http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/football/western-sydneys-mark-bridge-racks-up-200-game-milestone/story-fn63e0vj-1227308604364" Club career Newcastle Jets Bridge joined Newcastle from Parramatta Power in 2005 during the inaugural A-League season. Although it took some time for Bridge to find his feet he was the Jets best player during his second season (2006/07) at the club scoring 8 goals during the season. Although his third season with the Jets only yielded four goals, his last for the Jets was the most decisive, being the only goal in the 2008 A-League Grand Final. Sydney ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Brendon Šantalab
Brendon James Santalab ( hr, Šantalab; born 9 September 1982) is an Australian professional football player who plays as a striker for Victorian State League Division 1 side FC Strathmore. Club career Santalab originally started out as an apprentice at Parramatta Power before moving to Sydney United under the tutelage of Branko Culina. At the end of the 2003–04 National Soccer League season, he moved to K.V. Oostende in the Belgian First Division. After a brief stint, he moved to another Belgian First Division club, Sint-Truidense V.V. before moving to Hungary for a six-month period with Újpest FC. On 23 June 2007, Santalab was signed by A-League club Sydney FC on a two-year contract, thus reuniting him with Branko Culina. Santalab made 23 appearances for Sydney FC between 2007 and 2009, scoring four goals. During a game against Adelaide United, Santalab scored a goal from outside the box, that curled into the top corner – a goal that was later ruled the 2007–08 se ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Wellington Phoenix FC
Wellington Phoenix Football Club is a professional association football club based in Wellington, New Zealand. It competes in the Australian A-League, under licence from Football Federation Australia. Phoenix entered the competition in the 2007–08 season after its formation in March 2007, by New Zealand Football to replace New Zealand Knights as a New Zealand-based club in the Australian A-League competition. The club is one of the few clubs in the world to compete in a league of a different confederation ( AFC) from that of the country where it is based ( OFC). The club's highest achievement is reaching the A-League Preliminary Final in 2010. The club plays matches at Sky Stadium (formerly Westpac Stadium), a 34,500-seat multi-purpose venue in Wellington. Their home kit consists of black and yellow stripes. History Foundation During the later stages of the 2006–07 A-League season, Football Federation Australia (FFA) removed New Zealand Knights A-League licence d ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Reece Caira
Reece Caira is an Australian semi-professional footballer who plays as a left back for Berkeley Vale in the ''Premier League Central Coast'', a regional league within the Australian soccer league system. Caira has previously played professionally as a youth player for Aston Villa and as a senior for Western Sydney Wanderers, Wellington Phoenix and Bonnyrigg White Eagles. In 2017 he played for Valentine Phoenix as a short-term signing to boost their bid for the NSW Finals. Caira has represented Australia at a number of youth levels and was part of the 2012 AFC U-19 Championship squad that reached the semi-finals of that tournament. Career Caira had been part of Premier League team Aston Villa's youth development program before he was recruited to the Western Sydney Wanderers, transferring after one season to the Wellington Phoenix in July 2013. Personal life Caira works as a real estate agent in New South Wales alongside his football. Honours Club ;Western Sydney Wanderers * ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Dean Heffernan
Dean James Heffernan (born 19 May 1980) is a former professional football (soccer) player. Club career With the Central Coast Mariners he scored 8 goals from left back in 24 games and was subsequently named in FourFourTwo's A-League dream team. In March 2006, he and teammate Michael Beauchamp had a ten-day trial with German Bundesliga club Nürnberg. On 1 July 2006, both players transferred to Nürnberg on season-long loans. Heffernan struggled to get senior games only appearing on the bench for the first team, although he played eight games in the reserves scoring five goals. Heffernan suffered a broken leg during the Mariners 4–5 loss to Sydney FC on 22 December 2007, due to a tackle by Ufuk Talay. As a result, he was unable to play in the rest of the 2007–08 A-League season. Since returning from fracturing his tibia, he was selected twice for the Socceroos and was a stand out for his club the Mariners in their 2010 Asian Champions League campaign. With the Central Coast ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Tahj Minniecon
Tahj James Rodney Minniecon is an Indigenous Australian soccer player who most recently played for Davao Aguilas FC in Philippines Football League in 2018. Early life Tahj James Rodney Minniecon grew up in Brisbane and went to Cavendish Road State High School and Carbrook State School. He is of Indigenous Australian heritage. One of his junior clubs was Loganholme Lightning Football Club. Club career Queensland Roar Minniecon was signed by the Roar from the Australian Institute of Sport, AIS in 2007. On signing a two-year deal he said, "This is my home-town club and ever since the A-League started I always wanted to start my career with Queensland Roar FC, Queensland Roar. My family and friends are in Brisbane and I can’t wait to get started". Gold Coast United On 3 January 2009, it was revealed that Minniecon had signed with new A-League franchise Gold Coast United for their inaugural season in the A-League. Minniecon was set for a trade with Newcastle Jets FC, Newcastle ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |