A-League: Wanderers ready for Sydney FC at empty Bankwest Stadium

Western Sydney coach Jean-Paul de Marigny has previous experience of matches played behind closed doors.

Wanderers coach Jean-Paul de Marigny: ‘It doesn’t matter if we are playing in front of zero people or 28,000 people.’ Picture: Jeremy Piper

Three weeks ago they won in front of a full house, but the Wanderers have a unique perspective as they face the challenge of preparing for a derby with no fans.

As the A-League races to get its season finished amid the coronavirus pandemic, Bankwest Stadium on Saturday night will echo with the emptiness of a 30,000-capacity venue devoid of any supporters.

But Western Sydney interim coach Jean-Paul de Marigny has previous experience, having sat in the dugout as head coach at a Sydney derby behind closed doors eight years ago.

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De Marigny was coach of Sydney United from 2011-13 when their fixtures against rivals Bonnyrigg were played effectively behind closed doors — just a few dozen members from the home side allowed in the ground over fears of trouble between the two sets of supporters.

Almost a decade later, de Marigny will give his players precisely the same message he imparted to the United players in games played mid-morning at the request of police.

“There’s very little atmosphere, but everything’s on the line, there’s still three points at stake,” de Marigny said. “There’s the same outcomes (to chase), the game is the same — it’s all about having the right mentality to get those three points.

“It’s the same, it’s a derby and like I said to them it doesn’t matter if we are playing in front of zero people or 28,000 people.

“We understand that our responsibility is to represent the region and the fans, make sure that the fans are happy after the game, that’s a privileged position to be in. That’s our responsibility, to make people happy.

“We are professional people and we understand the circumstances and we also understand what’s on the line. The game starts and you are fully focused inside the game.”

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The surreal nature of the night will compound the effective home exile players and coaching staff are in beyond their time at training each day. All have been told repeatedly to minimise their contact with the public, in the hope that a positive COVID-19 test among players and staff across the league can be avoided until the competition is finished.

Details like not sharing water bottles have been emphasised, and players told to not even go shopping if it can be avoided.

“The club has been really proactive and made sure, for the wellbeing of the staff and players, that all the processes are in place,” de Marigny said. “We’re just following all the information we’re getting, and so far we’re very comfortable with where we’re at.

“Basically we’re in isolation in terms of where we’re working (at the Wanderers football HQ), it’s only us. We’re doing everything we’re told, going straight home to our families and making sure they’re doing the right things also.”

Meanwhile, the carrot of winning a Premiers Plate as quickly as possible before any potential shutdown of the competition, will motivate runaway A-League leaders Sydney heading into a possible fixture logjam.

The Sky Blues hold a 10-point lead over second placed Melbourne City with two games in hand and need only eight more points to secure a record fourth Plate and their third in the last four seasons.

The FFA has already signalled its intention to compress the remaining games of the season into a few weeks and Sydney have seven games to play, more than any other team.

Two wins over the next week would go a long way towards securing the Plate especially if Melbourne City drop any points in away games at the Central Coast and Newcastle, and with Wellington inactive over that time.

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH/AAP