Tough Popa will endure WSW pressure: Arnie

Feb 17, 2017 - 4:30 AM As someone who understands better than most the resilience of Tony Popovic, Graham Arnold has no doubt the Western Sydney coach will emerge from the club's current predicament unscathed.

But even as he praised his long-time friend and "little brother" as a future top-level manager, Arnold delivered a timely pre-derby reminder of the Wanderers' inferior A-League position and disputed claims they've come the closest of anyone to beating Sydney FC.

While undefeated runaway leaders Sydney FC have 14 wins and are close to the greatest-ever A-League season, their fierce harbour-city rivals have been plagued by inconsistencies leaving them seventh and facing a fight just to make the playoffs while navigating a gruelling Asian Champions League campaign.

The predicament has brought Popovic and his players under unprecedented pressure from their loyal fans, and even allowed glimpses of stress to sneak through the manager's steely resolve ahead of Saturday's 15th derby instalment.

Behind the fixture's customary tension and verbal barbs, Arnold and Popovic hold a fast friendship built up over three decades as Sydney Croatia and Sanfrecce Hiroshima teammates and crossover at the Socceroos.

One day before the two men retreat into opposing dugouts at ANZ Stadium, the Sky Blues mentor had only kind words for his decade-younger counterpart.

"He was like my little brother for a long, long time," Arnold said.

"I love the guy and have a lot time and respect for Tony, he's a fantastic coach and a tough man.

"He's been through tough times as a player before and had a bit of a tough time before as a coach. He'll get through it, he'll be fine.

"You learn lessons in diversity, and in life you learn by mistakes. Whether it's now or later for him, he'll keep learning.

"One day he'll end up a top manager somewhere in the world, in a top league."

Right now though, Popovic remains in the A-League, and Arnold pointed out the vast gap between the combatants.

"It's another game. Yeah okay, there'll be more passion, but it's one against seven," Arnold said.

"We're 26 points in front. That's the reality, that's the statistic."

Sydney are out to extend their unbeaten record to 20 games, while the Wanderers aim to erase a three-year derby drought they came close to breaking in January.

But Arnold disagreed with the view of Wanderers striker Brendon Santalab that the Allianz Stadium stalemate was the closest any rival has come to toppling his team.

"We've had tougher and closer games than that," he said.

"The two Brisbane games were extremely tough, the Mariners up at Central Coast was tight as well."

STATS THAT MATTER:

* Sydney FC are undefeated (W6, D3) in the past nine meetings

* Eight of Sydney FC's 14 wins have come on the road

* The Wanderers have conceded only one first-half goal in their last five games

Source: AAP