Wanderers coach Markus Babbel plans to rebuild underperforming squad

As the end of a disappointing season approaches, Western Sydney coach Markus Babbel has revealed his plans to rebuild his squad, with the futures of more than a dozen off-contract players under review.

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With his first season in Australian football all over bar the shouting, Wanderers boss Markus Babbel is preparing for a significant turnover of players as he bids to fashion a winning team for next year.

Babbel revealed that the futures of more players than the dozen or so off contract are under review, in the wake of missing the finals for the second season in a row.

Western Sydney have two more games to navigate, more or less assured of finishing eighth, before the squad disperses for its holidays.

Babbel said he intend to hold talks with players over their futures in coming days, before returning to Germany for a vacation himself.

Babbel can’t take another season without finals football. Image: Ashley Feder/Getty Images

Though the clear out will allow Babbel to reshape the squad in his own image, he admitted that the limitations imposed by the salary cap and foreign limits were a unique challenge.

“Of course we have to start now, but it takes a time to get together with players,” he said. “We have ideas (about recruitment), now we have to find out if they are possible.

“It is not so easy with five foreigners, two marquee players, only 23 players. It's a great challenge for us to find the right players.

“We have to, because no one is happy in the club. This is the second season without the play-offs, and next season we want to.”

Quite how extensive his squad surgery will be even Babbel himself is not yet certain, as he waits to see which players elect to leave even when they are under contract.

“It is difficult for me now to say something,” Babbel noted. “Not because I don't want to but maybe some players have a contract but I am not so happy with them.

“I must ask, is he leaving or not? That could make a gap to give the money to someone else. This is a very interesting story for us, we are working and I am pretty sure we will have a good team next season to fight for the playoffs.”