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Youngest clubs go toe-to-toe on signings


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Youngest clubs go toe-to-toe on signings

July 24, 2012

Michael Cockerill

MORE by circumstance than design, Western Sydney Wanderers have found themselves battling with an unlikely foe as they prepare for their debut season.

The rivalry that will define the club will, of course, be with Sydney FC. But it's Melbourne Heart who seem to casting a long shadow as the A-League newcomers go through the difficult process of creating a club from scratch.

''There's no bad blood,'' Heart chief Scott Munn insists.

''Sure there is a rivalry, but no more than with anyone else,'' Wanderers boss Lyall Gorman says.

The Heart have just formalised the signing of Dylan Macallister, who had been trialling with the Wanderers. The Heart haven't yet announced their next signing, but it's David Vrankovic, a defender from Bonnyrigg White Eagles, who had been invited to trial with the Wanderers. Vrankovic is a born and bred ''Westie'', the sort of player the Wanderers are basing their reputation on.

Then there's veteran keeper Clint Bolton, who was on his way to the Wanderers until the Heart upped their offer to keep him south of the Murray.

And, finally, this week Greek-Australian midfielder Andrew Govas will try to earn a contract with the Heart after originally planning to trial with the Wanderers. ''It was made pretty clear we had to make a choice,'' his agent, Tony Rallis, says.

''You snooze, you lose,'' says Munn, in reference to Macallister and Vrankovic. ''They [Wanderers] were dragging their heels a bit.''

Gorman, not surprisingly, doesn't see it that way: ''We're not dragging our heels at all. With Dylan, we didn't feel comfortable with making an offer right now, and with the other one [Vrankovic], he made his own decision, which is his right. As we've said all along, our recruitment is about patience and persistence.''

The Wanderers have, at least, won one important battle with the Heart. Ante Milicic starts his new job as assistant coach this week, having been released from the Heart two weeks early. Milicic had been assistant at the Heart, but after missing out on the top job to John Aloisi, chose to take up an offer to join brother-in-law Tony Popovic on the Wanderers coaching staff. Milicic was technically required to serve three months notice, but has been given an early mark.

''We look at it as a goodwill gesture,'' Munn says.

Gorman had targeted Milicic - a former Sydney United player and coach - from the time the club was formed, and is delighted to have finally got his man: ''I've got no doubt the Heart would have liked to have kept him, but Ante's made up his own mind.''

Now that he has, perhaps the relationship between the A-League's two newest clubs will settle before their pre-season match next month.

http://www.smh.com.a...l#ixzz21SIn2ISI

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We are now starting to see some of the fruits of the club's transfer policy, with aspiring players chosing Heart over other clubs because we have we have a proven record of developing players and allowing them to head overseas when the oppurtunity arises.

This is only the tip of the iceberg. I have no doubt we will be hearing more stories like this in the future.

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