Heart CEO Scott Munn said the Wanderers would be foolish to try to compete with the tsunami of media interest in Sydney FC’s star signing.

Hundreds of excited fans gathered at Sydney Airport on the weekend to welcome the legendary Italian player who flew in for the start of a two-year contract with the Sky Blues.

But Munn said the real moment of truth will arrive in Round 3 when the Wanderers go head to head with their crosstown rivals in the first derby at Parramatta Stadium.

“It will go one of two ways – if they get absolutely whacked then they have got big problems because the fringe support will make a decision based on that.,” he said.

“But if they put up a credible effort, they don’t even have to win it as long as they’re competitive.”

The Melbourne derby between Heart and Victory has transformed the local sporting landscape and given the new boys a chance to wrestle back the initiative.

And Munn believes it’s just as vital for the Wanderers to put in a good showing.

“Ride on that first game. That first game when they play each other is going to be phenomenal and it’s a Western Sydney game,” he said.

“It’s a great opportunity for them and that’s something that’s going to be unique for the supporters and people of West Sydney.

"To win the first one is something that no one will ever take away from you."

He added: “We played Western Sydney up in Lismore and I’ve got to say their defensive structures were very good.

“(Head coach Tony Popovic) had them very well organised in their defence. The key for them is going to be, just as it was for us in the first year, if they get injuries to their squad.

“If Aaron Mooy, for instance, got injured early on they’ll be in a world of pain.”

Heart have their own experience of dealing with the big end of town when Melbourne Victory dropped the “H” bomb on the A-League last season.

As the ‘will he or won’t he’ signing of Harry Kewell took a stranglehold on the headlines, Heart decided to stay out of the fray.

Munn said the club stuck to its own core values – community engagement and developing young players – and took it to Victory where it mattered most, on the field. They currently have a 2-1 upper hand against the rivals.

“We couldn’t have competed with Harry at that point,” Munn said. “Unless we had Tim Cahill we just weren’t going to compete.

“So our strategy was actually not to get involved with it – to keep out of it and let them have that moment.”

And while Munn applauded Del Piero’s signing by Sydney FC he said the World Cup winner didn’t cross boundaries like Kewell.

Speaking prior to the former Juventus great’s arrival, Munn said the marquee had failed to cut through in the Melbourne market.

“He doesn’t cross boundaries,” he said

“(The signing) had less column space in the Herald Sun than the Matildas who had played the night before - I think it got about 11 lines in the paper.

“As horrible as this is I could walk out here now and run into a 100 people and ask them who he is and they won’t know.

“We did a breakfast which was AFL dominated and 80 per cent didn’t even know he was coming or who he was.

“Harry got pretty big exposure when he was coming but Harry crosses boundaries. He’s got a celebrity wife, he’s an Aussie.”

Munn echoed the thoughts of some football commentators that the Italian international’s greatest contribution to the A-League was re-engaging those who had been lost to the game.

“This guy is pure football and that’s wonderful,” he said. “If he can reinvigorate the low hanging fruit, that’s the most important thing.

"The only thing I’m disappointed about is that we don’t play Sydney twice at home.”