ANALYSIS: The 'impossible' idea that saw Western United re-write the A-League Women expansion blueprint
abc.net.au/news/how-western-united-rewrote-the-blueprint-all-a-league-women-expa/102049712When Melbourne City made its A-League Women debut back in 2015, its arrival was widely regarded as a "rising tide lifts all boats" moment for Australian women's football.
Melbourne City won the Premiership-Championship double in their inaugural season of 2015/16, throwing down the gauntlet for other clubs to begin investing in their women's programs. Calder United players pose with the Nike F.C. Cup trophy after winning the Victorian knock-out women's competition in 2019.
"The conversation about an A-League Women set-up started properly in about 2017 when Calder was in its second year," Torcaso told ABC. In 2018, someone else came along: Western United, a new franchise aimed at representing Melbourne's western suburbs, was granted an A-League Men license. "So myself and the former president [Eric Psarianos] went to them and said, 'We've got this fantastic organisation in Calder; it's a unique elite pathway that was already producing players for the A-League; what do you think?'
Torcaso seamlessly transitioned between both, drawing on his previous experience with Melbourne Victory to implement programs and coordinate with the new A-Leagues club for access to staff and resources. Then, in 2020, they were finally granted their wish; the door to the national league had opened. The familiarity Torcaso already had with his playing group, as well as access to resources and more training time together, has been invaluable in where the club is now: sitting second on the ladder with a spot in finals on the horizon.
But while the core of Western's 2022/23 squad is made up of Victorians plucked from the NPLW, Torcaso still had a strategy around hand-picking particular international players who he felt could bring something different to the mix. And while McDonald and Logarzo were only part of the squad for a short time, recalled to their NWSL sides before the end of the season, their greatest impact is what they contributed off the pitch.
"We try to bridge the gap by the environment we set, which isn't just about facilities and resources, but also the way players interact and communicate with each other. We make sure no one ever feels more important than anyone else." "We were the underdogs," Robers told ABC. "No one expected anything from us; they saw our signings and were like, 'Oh, a lot of local girls, good luck to them'. Then we came out in round one and beat Melbourne Victory, the reigning champions from the previous season. We made a statement early.
Western United's entry into the ALW was a sliding-doors moment for Robers, along with many of her teammates.
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