Sports - Football
Stajcic says Wanderers must outthink Roar, not just match intensity
Alen Stajcic says Western Sydney must deliver a complete performance to halt a confident Brisbane Roar side.
Western Sydney coach Alen Stajcic said his side would need more than intensity to overcome Brisbane Roar on Saturday night, noting that the A League leaders had become one of the competition's most effective and physical teams under Michael Valkanis.
Brisbane have surprised stronger backed opponents this season with a direct and uncompromising approach.
Stajcic acknowledged that physical pressure was part of the challenge, but he argued it would be a mistake to reduce their success to aggression alone.
He said the Roar had shown resilience in defence and a willingness to shift numbers into key areas, which had helped them lose only one of their opening seven matches.
Stajcic said Brisbane's consistency away from home reinforced the need for a complete performance.
He noted that the Roar had produced several passages of quality play in addition to their imposing work off the ball, and insisted the Wanderers were not underestimating them as a football team.
The Wanderers had appeared to steady their season with consecutive wins, including a narrow derby victory against Sydney FC.
Their momentum stalled with a 1 0 loss to Perth Glory last week, a match in which Perth were reduced to ten players.
Stajcic said his team had let themselves down in the first half hour and warned that any drop in mentality would be punished in a tight competition, particularly against a side in Brisbane's form.
A defeat would intensify scrutiny on Stajcic, especially after the club confirmed on Friday that Paul Lederer had returned as chairman following a break for personal and family reasons since June 2024.
Valkanis, meanwhile, described Western Sydney as one of the strongest teams in the league.
The sides met in a closed pre season trial, which the Wanderers won 2 1, and Valkanis said that contest had been anything but friendly.
He added that his team were looking forward to another tough meeting as they continued a run of matches away from home.
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