Western Sydney Wanderers striker Mark Bridge admits transition to Gombau era is proving painful

WANDERERS striker Mark Bridge has laid bare the scale of upheaval at the Wanderers, as new head coach Josep Gombau stamps his authority on the club’s playing style.

Wanderers’ Mark Bridge wants fans to be patient. (Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)

WANDERERS striker Mark Bridge has laid bare the scale of upheaval at the Wanderers, as new head coach Josep Gombau stamps his authority on the club’s playing style.

Admitting his side had been “there for the taking” in last weekend’s 5-0 loss to Sydney FC, Bridge insisted the players and Gombau were racing together towards the “point we need to get to” amid a listing season with just one win in 10 games.

Bridge sat out the derby hammering but conceded it had not made pleasant viewing — though he said the display was at least in part a by-product of the metamorphosis from the strictures of Tony Popovic’s regime to Gombau’s belief in a more adventurous style.

WARNING: Wanderers must ‘adapt or die’

A tearful Brendon Santalab after the derby. (AAP Image/Brendan Esposito)

“The second half of the Brisbane game wasn’t great, and it sort of continued into the derby,” Bridge said. “Sydney are a top side, you can’t take that away from them. But we were there for the taking. We didn’t make it difficult for them and very spread out at times — but look, we’re also still in that transition period.

“We’re trying to fix it, and quickly, but it is frustrating for everyone involved in the club, not just the players and coaches but the fans as well.

“We’re trying to improve, and to understand the formation being brought in. It’s a difficult transition because we did a full pre-season and the first four games under the same philosophy. Then it changed, to something quite different. That’s everything, not just the formation but the way the coaches operate.

“So it’s a learning process for everyone, the players and coaches, it goes both ways. We’re trying to all help each other and get to a point that we need to, as quick as possible.”

New coach Gombau is instigating a new style. (Brett Hemmings/Getty Images)

Bridge was quick to make the point that players at any club had to take their lead from the head coach, no matter how different they might be to their predecessor.

“To be honest that’s the same with any coach,” he said. “They’re the boss, they live and die by their decisions and how they operate. We have to abide by and follow what they set out. That’s the same if it’s Josep or Popa or Foxey, they all have their own philosophy.

“If you don’t follow it you don’t play, and I’m sure that’s the same across the board in world football. That’s why they’re head coach to make decisions that affect the club.”

Asked how quickly fans could expect to see the transition period bear fruit, Bridge was candid about the uncertainty.

“It’s a very difficult question,” he said. “It’s one of those things where it could look bad for a couple of weeks but then suddenly click. To put a time on it is very difficult — I’m hoping it changes this week (away to the Mariners) because we need a win.

“To get a result in these two games leading into Christmas would be a good sign for us that we’re on the right track.”

Originally published as Western Sydney Wanderers striker Mark Bridge admits transition to Gombau era is proving painful