Unbeaten and yet to concede at home, Marko Rudan has called on lapsed Western Sydney Wanderers fans to return and help make their stadium a fortress again.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
The Wanderers' honeymoon start to the A-League Men season through six games has been underpinned by the dominance at CommBank Stadium, with the team scoring seven goals at home across three games.
Despite their free-flowing football and the fact they ended a six-year finals drought last term, the Wanderers' average crowd this season has dropped below the 10,000 mark.
Tony Popovic rolls into town on Sunday with Melbourne Victory, a side which Rudan describes as the strongest in the A-League Men.
The Wanderers were last this strong at home when Popovic was in charge and they are keen to send him and his current team back to Victoria with nothing to show.
"We want to make it a place of our own, where we dictated," Rudan said.
"We demand a lot from each other and we're determined to go out there and win games of football.
"We don't allow anyone to walk into our house and take something and that's the attitude that we have.
"We also want our fans to come out because we built something last year and we desperately want them to enjoy this with us as well.
"I know my players get a big lift when they come out and we need them because we're working our socks off to play a good brand of football."
Rudan has demanded his players start fast after a costly opening half an hour away to Brisbane last week forced them to come from behind to scrape a 2-2 draw.
Popovic is wary of the challenge awaiting his side who also remain unbeaten, but have been frustrated that their past four games have been draws.
"We expect the intensity (and for them) to come out strong," Popovic said.
"But we want to do the same, it's a great test.
"Wanderers are going back to where that club needs to be and being a real challenger for titles.
"And Melbourne Victory, the demand is always, and the expectation is that they're challenging for titles.
"So two clubs going at it, both undefeated so we're expecting a tough game but a really good match as well."
Australian Associated Press
