Rudan skips presser after City smash hapless Wanderers

Mar 12, 2024, 08:00 AM ET

Under-pressure Western Sydney coach Marko Rudan has failed to front up for his post-match press conference after a 7-0 thrashing from Melbourne City, the heaviest defeat in the club’s history.

Aurelio Vidmar’s charges inflicted further pain and misery on Western Sydney with an extraordinary blitz at AAMI Park, taking a 4-0 lead at half-time then rubbing salt in the wound in the second half.

A Wanderers spokesperson confirmed Rudan, who is contracted until the end of the 2026-27 season, is still employed.

The club’s bizarre official line was that assistant coach Jean-Paul de Marigny attended the press conference instead because Rudan was in a team meeting.

When asked why Rudan wasn’t there, de Marigny said: “It’s pretty simple. I’m here now to ask (sic) questions.

Terry Antonis of Melbourne City celebrates scoring one of the seven goals against Western Sydney Wanderers. Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

“I don’t think that’s (Rudan’s whereabouts) irrelevant (sic) at this stage.

“So ask me questions. That’ll be good. Let’s speak about the game.”

De Marigny, who was Wanderers caretaker coach for seven games in 2020, then five games as full-time coach before being sacked, also confirmed Rudan wasn’t unwell.

“I’ve already moved on from that. It’s great that you’ve got a lot of empathy, which is nice. He’s fine,” he said.

“I’ve got no comment about that. I’m here to answer questions about the game.

“So if you’ve got that, I’ll respond to it. If you don’t have it, I’ll move on.”

Western Sydney Wanderers coach Marko Rudan. Photo by Damian Briggs/Speed Media/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

De Marigny was evasive when asked if the team was at rock bottom and bristled at the suggestion their players’ heads had dropped.

Since returning from his two-match suspension for his tirade against referees, Rudan has overseen three games – and the Wanderers have lost all three, shipping 14 goals.

Former Wanderer Terry Antonis completed the rout with an incredible strike from just inside the centre circle in the 82nd minute, knocking the ball over a player’s head then smacking a half-volley into the net.

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Antonis, who was frozen out at Western Sydney last season, made a beeline for the Wanderers bench and made a ‘call me’ gesture to his former coach.

“You might as well give him goal of the season for sure. It’d be very hard to top I’d say,” Vidmar said.

“And happy for him. He had, as we all know, a pretty tough season last year.

“… He probably couldn’t have scripted it any better than that.

“He was probably dreaming last night of coming on and scoring and that’s exactly what he did.”

A ruthless 13 minutes, where the wonderful Tolgay Arslan scored twice and Leo Natel and Max Caputo also netted gave City an insurmountable 4-0 lead by half-time.

It prompted Rudan to hook five players at half-time – the first time it has happened in the league.

Nuno Reis headed home a fifth in the 73rd minute, while Jamie Maclaren, who was benched for Caputo for a second consecutive game, ended his 10-game scoring drought four minutes later.

Then Antonis rubbed salt in the wound.