This week on Total A-Leagues, Vince Rugari from the Sydney Morning Herald and former Socceroo Tommy Oar delved into the impressive performances of a Western Sydney Wanderers standout and the current challenges facing Auckland FC.
Anthony Pantazopoulos has been receiving significant acclaim throughout the Isuzu UTE A-League this season.
In fact, the Western Sydney Wanderers defender has drawn parallels with a much-loved Socceroos star.
During a breakout year with the soaring Western Sydney Wanderers, Pantazopoulos has successfully established himself as a top centre-back in the league, contributing to the team’s remarkable unbeaten streak—nine games—marking their finest performance in a decade.
Having transitioned to Wanderland from Oakleigh Cannons in NPLM VIC in 2023, the 21-year-old has truly made his mark this season under the guidance of Alen Stajcic. He has so far made a career-high 19 appearances in the A-League and netted his first professional goal.
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On this week’s Total A-Leagues episode, Vince Rugari compared the young talent to the legendary Sasa Ognenovski, a 22-time Australia international who left Victoria’s state leagues to join Brisbane Roar in 2006.
Ognenovski, a prominent centre-back who also had a stint at Adelaide United, was recognised as the 2010 AFC Asian Footballer of the Year, famously winning the AFC Champions League with Seongnam.
“I think one of the players who has significantly reinforced their defensive line is Anthony Pantazopoulos,” Rugari commented. “He’s big on the celebrations, especially defensive ones.”
“I know you might not think too highly of that sort of thing, but he’s got a really compelling story. At just 21 years old, he was signed a couple of years back from Oakleigh Cannons in NPL Victoria.”
“When I think of centre-backs who have been signed directly from the Victorian State league, Sasa Ognenovski springs to mind—a legend at Adelaide United who arguably deserved more caps with the Socceroos. He was an absolute powerhouse.”
“Pantazopoulos has the potential to become a powerhouse.”
Tommy Oar added: “What amazed me is how young he is; that really took me by surprise when I found out his age.”
“His impact has been massive. His physicality is intimidating; no one wants to face players like him.”
Tommy Oar addresses Auckland FC’s ‘challenges’
Auckland FC sits at the top of the Premiership in their debut season, yet questions linger regarding the high-flying newcomers, as highlighted by former A-Leagues player Oar.
The Black Knights boast a four-point lead at the summit and are currently enjoying a 12-match unbeaten run, following their surprising 1-0 loss to the struggling Perth Glory back on January 11.
Nonetheless, Auckland has managed just a single win from their last six outings (D5), including a 2-2 draw against Sydney FC last week.
“It’s a double-edged sword,” Oar suggested.
“Steve Corica mentioned in his post-match conference that their resilience has been commendable, as they remain unbeaten. However, offensively, they haven’t been as dominant as in the earlier part of the season.”
“They are spending more time on the back foot during games. When you’re always defending, you’re naturally more susceptible to conceding goals. Their challenges stem from their play with the ball. They appear less proactive and perhaps a bit too conservative in their approach.”
“Even if they’re comfortably winning the league, there’s bound to be some pressure. I think that’s starting to show.”
“I believe they’ve taken a step back compared to their peak performance. If they fail to regain their top form, they could face a challenging stretch in the months ahead.”
A-Leagues XI for Off-Contract Players
As the Isuzu UTE A-League continues, with the Finals Series on the horizon, clubs are already looking ahead to next season’s roster.
Several key players are approaching the end of their contracts, though many are likely to renew with their current teams.
Oar and Rugari compiled their own ‘soon-to-be free agent’ XIs, both featuring Western United’s Noah Botic and Sydney FC’s Adrian Segecic—all contenders for the Golden Boot.
Tommy Oar’s ‘Soon-to-be Free Agent XI’
Goalkeeper: Andrew Redmayne (Sydney FC)
Defenders: Gabriel Cleur (Western Sydney Wanderers), Alex Grant (Sydney FC), Brian Kaltak (Central Coast Mariners), Sam Sutton (Wellington Phoenix)
Midfielders: Jake Hollman (Macarthur Bulls), Anthony Caceres (Sydney FC)
Forwards: Daniel Arzani (Melbourne Victory), Adrian Segecic (Sydney FC), Marin Jakolis (Macarthur Bulls), Noah Botic (Western United)
Vince Rugari’s ‘Soon-to-be Free Agent XI’
Goalkeeper: Andrew Redmayne (Sydney FC)
Defenders: Gabriel Cluer (Western Sydney Wanderers), Alex Grant (Sydney FC), Brian Kaltak (Central Coast Mariners), Ben Garuccio (Western United)
Midfielders: Luke Brattan (Macarthur Bulls), Anthony Caceres (Sydney FC)
Forwards: Jake Hollman (Macarthur Bulls), Daniel Arzani (Melbourne Victory), Adrian Segecic (Sydney FC), Noah Botic (Western United)
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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