Wanderers new signing Matt Jurman says he’s excited by the challenge and can’t wait to pull on the Red & Black in front of the club’s passionate fans.
Wanderers new signing Matt Jurman says he’s excited by the challenge and can’t wait to pull on the Red & Black in front of the club’s passionate fans.
The Socceroos defender was unveiled as the club’s newest recruit tonight, adding considerable depth to a squad that is rapidly taking shape for the forthcoming Hyundai A-League season.
“It’s good to be back home and I am excited to get going and to play in front of all my family and friends,” Jurman said.
“I attended a game at Bankwest a little while ago and it was awesome and to play there with the Wanderers with my family and friends watching and in front of the Wanderers fans is going to be an awesome experience.
“I grew up in Western Sydney from about 13 years of age so this has been a long time coming.”
Jurman said his experiences overseas have made him a better person and better player.
“I had a great experience and enjoyed playing in Korea and Saudi Arabia. To learn about different cultures and the different style of football was fantastic. The football was top level,” he said.
“It helped me to be better as a person and a footballer.”
Jurman said his goal with the Red & Black is to “always win” and he is confident the Wanderers have a squad good enough to mount a serious challenge this season.
“I always want to win and we need to win because anything less would be disappointing,” he added.
“We have a good squad and we can do some damage.”
Success would include qualifying for and playing in the Asian Champions League with the Wanderers, which Jurman experienced at a different level during his time overseas.
“It would be awesome to play in the ACL. I got to see it from a different perspective while I was playing overseas,” he said.
“The Wanderers have a wonderful history in the ACL and I want to help them get back there and enjoy some more good times.”
The defender is looking forward to working under Wanderers head coach Markus Babbel.
“I have spoken to Markus a number of times and I know what he has achieved,” said Jurman.
“I expect to learn a lot from him and, being a Liverpool fan, I have a lot of questions to ask him as well!”
