NRMA Insurance Western Sydney Wanderers will play Shimizu S-Pulse, Tokyo Verdy and Guangzhou R&F in the Club’s first ever tour of Asia next month.
WanderTour 2013 will take in three cities during a 13-day pre-season tour that includes visits to Tokyo and Shizuoka in Japan and Guangzhou, the capital of the Guangdong province, in China.
Following on from an incredible debut season where Australia-s newest, oldest football club won the Premiers- Plate and qualified for the 2014 AFC Champions League, the Wanderers will make their first venture into Asia with the three match tour before competing in their debut AFC Champions League campaign in 2014.
The Wanderers will make their first stop in Shizuoka to play Shimizu S-Pulse, the former club of star man Shinji Ono, before travelling to Guangzhou in China for a six day training camp and match against Guangzhou R&F, the home of Australian players Eddie Bosnar and Rostyn Griffiths and coached by Sven-Goran Eriksson, before returning to Tokyo for a match against J-2 side Tokyo Verdy.
Western Sydney Wanderers Executive Chairman Lyall Gorman believes WanderTour 2013 will not only create strong relationships with the two regions but will significantly grow the Wanderers brand in Asia and internationally.
“Football is a universal language and Western Sydney Wanderers exemplify this attitude across our football, our fan base and our values,” said Gorman.
“WanderTour 2013 will reinvigorate, promote and foster relationships through a variety of activations during a 13 day tour which will include matches against top tier opposition in Japan and China.
A national hero in Japan, marquee man Ono will return to his former club for the first time since his transfer to Western Sydney Wanderers in 2012.
“This is a fantastic opportunity to take a true superstar of Japanese football back to play against his old club Shimizu S-Pulse which is sure to delight his legion of fans,” continued Gorman.
“However this trip is about more than just one player – this trip will connect the Wanderers in Asia and expose the Wanderers and the Hyundai A-League to an even larger audience internationally.”
Western Sydney Wanderers will depart for WandererTour 2013 on Monday, 2 September before matches on the 4th, 8th and 12th September, returning to Australia on 14 September.
WANDERTOUR 2013 – JAPAN | CHINA
4 September Wanderers v Shimizu S-Pulse
8 September Wanderers v Guangzhou G+F
12 September Wanderers v Tokyo Verdy
