Players left in contract limbo as Western Sydney Wanderers stand down entire workforce

Western Sydney Wanderers have joined an ever growing list of Australian football clubs whose complete playing rosters, along with every other club employee, have been stood down due to the coronavirus crisis.

Western Sydney Wanderers’ entire playing group, as well as other staff, have been stood down.

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The Wanderers players have become the latest in the A-League to be stood down, as the domino effect of the coronavirus crisis crashes through the competition.

All Western Sydney players and staff were told on Wednesday that they have been stood down as of Thursday morning, with the club to seek the government’s Jobkeeper allowance for them all immediately.

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The move follows Perth Glory and the Mariners already standing their whole clubs down, while Brisbane Roar have done likewise but promised “emergency funding” for any employees in financial distress.

Western Sydney Wanderers’ entire playing group, as well as other staff, have been stood down.

The Wanderers players and staff have been told they can use whatever annual leave they have accrued so far in the immediate term, with the club promising to review the standing down when the A-League itself re-examines the competition’s suspension on April 22.

But with no realistic prospect of a resumption of normal service for months, the players have been told there is effectively no business to run – leaving several in contractual limbo.

Some members of the Wanderers squad, including five of its foreigners, will not be eligible immediately for government assistance as they have not been at the club for 12 months.

Wanderers and Sydney FC played out a surreal derby fixture in an empty Bankwest Stadium last month.

For Daniel Lopar and Pirmin Schwegler that will change in mid to late May, but Nicolai Muller and Simon Cox would not be eligible until October and January respectively.

Radoslaw Majewski may be more fortunate as he is currently being paid via injury insurance while he recovers from an ACL operation.

Complicating the situation is the fact that a number of players will come off contract at the end of May, and the whole of football is grappling with how to address this amid hopes of finishing the current season later in the year.

FIFA will hold a summit via teleconference in coming days to try to work out players’ contractual status while the COVID-19 crisis continue.

Meanwhile Wanderers players have been told the club “recommends” they try to stay fit in the hope the season resumes at some point.

Wanderers CEO John Tsatsimas confirmed that all staff have been stood down but declined to comment further.

It’s believed other clubs will follow suit in standing players down as soon as Thursday, with confusion over whether broadcaster Fox sports will pay the quarterly instalment due on it’s A-league deal this week.