You'd be hard pressed to find a happier coach three days after a derby loss.
But Western Sydney coach Tony Popovic is staying upbeat, despite the Wanderers sliding down to the bottom of the A-League ladder after losing local bragging rights to Sydney FC at the weekend.
Popovic, however, subscribes to the theory that, from time to time, the ladder tells lies.
And while his side might be winless and with the worst goal difference tally of any A-League club after three rounds, Popovic is adamant the outlook for his side is far rosier than what any of that might suggest.
"We're certainly playing good enough to have had some wins on the board so far but we can't change that, that hasn't happened," Popovic told reporters on Tuesday.
"The performances have been very encouraging, the players are starting to gel, the new players are starting to settle in.
"I don't think we'll hit our full straps until the end of the season, or the back end of the season, which is what you want.
"We've got a lot of faith in what we're building, it's showing in our performances and the next thing that will happen will be the results.
"I'm sure of that."
Popovic said it was folly to compare this season with last, when it took a staggering 15 rounds for the Wanderers to register an A-League win as they also battled to recover from their gruelling AFC Champions League campaign.
"Apart from Nikolai (Topor-Stanley) and Mark Bridge ... there's only one player that's played the first three games that played last year," Popovic said.
"It's a whole new group. There's no history for these players, whether it's the poor A-League season or them winning the Asian Champions League either.
"It's new, it's fresh. We can see it's building. I'm delighted with how they're performing.
"We know it can only get better."
Western Sydney host Perth Glory on Sunday afternoon but are set to be without dynamic Dutch winger Romeo Castelen, who injured his hamstring just minutes into the 1-0 Sydney derby loss at the weekend.
Scan results will reveal the full extent of the damage but the Wanderers are hopeful Castelen will only be ruled out for two or three weeks.
Scott Neville, who was taken off early in the second half of the derby with a minor back complain, is expected to be fit to face the Glory.
Share
