'Watch this space': Rudan 'on the lookout' for signings as sources deny coaching departures

With just a solitary game remaining until the January transfer window opens, Western United are sitting third on the A-League table and flying high. That doesn’t mean, however, that the club isn’t looking for further reinforcements.

United will travel to Ballarat this Saturday to take on Wellington Phoenix at Mars Stadium, the first of three such fixtures the expansion side will play in the regional city.

Whereas the storyline of the first fixture between the two sides back in round one largely centred around the return of United Head Coach Mark Rudan to New Zealand, the on-filed exploits of the two clubs heading into round 12 are providing more than enough intrigue to pique the interest this time around.

Two points adrift of Melbourne City entering the round, three points earned against their trans-Tasman foes could see United leap to second-place on the A-League table entering the round of play and put them well and truly in the box seat to play finals football in their first year in existence.

Coming off the back of a 2-2 draw with ladder-leading Sydney FC in round 11 in which they were unlucky not to take all three points, Wellington is undefeated in six and is set to welcome back Alex Rufer as they look to consolidate a place in the top-six.

But, while the news on the injury front is good for the ‘Nix, the situation is less clear for Rudan.

Socceroos defender Josh Risdon is set to miss the contest with a foot injury, while an injury cloud hangs over midfielder Panagiotis Kone and attacker Scott McDonald.

Kone was an injury-enforced first-half substitute in United’s 1-1 draw with Western Sydney Wanderers last week, while McDonald has been absent for a number of weeks with an achilles injury.

“I'll make a decision tomorrow on [Kone],” Rudan said. “They all travel but we’ll make a decision - he'll have a fitness test again tomorrow”

“[McDonald will] be in the squad.

“[McDonald is] looking great and, like I said, he's been playing with pain.

“Looked great last week in the game that he played again, and again during the week - he's fiery, you can see it in his eyes - the fire's in his belly again as well.

“So, whether he gets any game time will be dependent on what we do tomorrow but he's certainly in the squad, in the matchday squad tomorrow”

Regardless of if the two play tomorrow, and with the forecast in Ballarat for 33 degrees at kick-off and the Mars Stadium surface expected to be a firm one the odds may be long, Rudan acknowledged that the midfield and attack were two areas his squad would potentially look to reinforce in the weeks ahead.

“We're always on the lookout,” he said. “We're always having a look to grow this squad and improve the squad, so I guess we're no different to any other team.

“They’re probably the two areas of the park, the middle of the park and further up the field, the other two areas that we're looking to improve on

“That process is never-ending - even for next year - as you know, a lot of players coming off-contract. That goes on in every club - that recruitment drive. But we're certainly, in the immediate future, in January, we're looking to improve the squad.

“If not, more than happy to run with what we've got - we've got some good players.”

In response to circulating rumours, Rudan was also asked if highly-rated assistant Johnny Anastasiadis, who joined United after a dominant tenure with NPL Victoria side Bentleigh Greens, was set to join Ange Postecoglou as an assistant at Japanese champions Yokohama F. Marinos.

When contacted by FTBL, sources close Anastasiadis have denied that any move to join Postecoglou is imminent.

Rudan – who himself is set to catch-up with Postecoglou on Monday – opted to neither confirm or deny the rumours but insisted that his club would never stand in the way of any of its members pursuing opportunities.

“Watch this space,” said Rudan. “I’m not going to make any comment because there’s no need.

“We’re not going to make any comment, but we’ll never stand in the way of anybody if it’s going to improve their careers going forward. What we’re proud of is that we’ve given them a base to take off from and look to bigger and better things and greener pastures.”