2021–22 Western United FC season explained

Club:	Western United
Season:	2021–22
Chairman:	Jason Sourasis
Manager:	John Aloisi
Stadium:	GMHBA Stadium AAMI Park Mars Stadium Morshead Park Stadium UTAS Stadium
League:	A-League Men
League Result:	3rd
Cup1:	A-League Men Finals
Cup1 Result:	Winners
Cup2:	FFA Cup
Cup2 Result:	Round of 32
League Topscorer:	Aleksandar Prijović (14)
Season Topscorer:	Aleksandar Prijović (15)
Highest Attendance:	8,127 vs. Melbourne City (12 March 2022) A-League Men
Lowest Attendance:	1,127 vs. Newcastle Jets (13 November 2021) FFA Cup
Average Attendance:
Largest Win:	6–0 vs. Perth Glory (H) (16 April 2022) A-League Men
Largest Loss:	0–3 vs. Sydney FC (A) (19 March 2022) A-League Men
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Prevseason:	2020–21
Nextseason:	2022–23

The 2021–22 season was the third in the history of Western United Football Club. In addition to the domestic league, Western United also competed in the FFA Cup for the first time.

They finished third in the regular season and then won the Championship, beating holders Melbourne City in the Grand Final.

The season was documented in the docuseries United.^[1]

Review

Background

Western United's 2020–21 campaign had seen an eight-game losing streak and a lack of creativity lead to a disappointing tenth-place finish in the league, the club's lowest in their history forcing them to play in the 2021 FFA Cup seventh preliminary round against Newcastle Jets. Three days after their league finish on 8 June 2021, the club parted ways with their head coach Marko Rudan who was their manager since their first season in 2019–20.^[2]

Players

First-team squad

Transfers

Transfers in

No.	Position	Player	Transferred from	Type/fee	Contract length	Date	Ref
9			Brisbane Roar	Free transfer	3 years	21 June 2021	^[3]
17			Melbourne City	Free transfer	2 years	18 July 2021	^[4]
44			Unattached	Free transfer	1 year	29 July 2021	^[5]
1			Brisbane Roar	Free transfer	2 years	2 August 2021	^[6] ^[7]
38				Free transfer	2 years	2 August 2021	^[8]
88			Unattached	Free transfer		27 August 2021	^[9]
4				Undisclosed	1 year	1 September 2021	^[10]
16			Unattached	Free transfer	1 year	26 September 2021	^[11]
99			Unattached	Free transfer	Multi-year	15 October 2021	^[12]
34			Unattached	Scholarship	2 years	1 November 2021	^[13]

From youth squad

Transfers out

No.	Position	Player	Transferred to	Type/fee	Date	Ref
14			Sydney FC	Free transfer	23 May 2021	^[14] ^[15]
4			Retired		5 June 2021	^[16]
1			Unattached	End of contract	18 June 2021	^[17]
2			Unattached	End of contract	18 June 2021
9			Unattached	End of contract	18 June 2021
17				End of loan	18 June 2021
22			Unattached	End of contract	18 June 2021
34			Unattached	End of contract	18 June 2021
7			Unattached	End of contract	18 July 2021	^[18]
3			Melbourne Victory	End of contract	26 July 2021	^[19] ^[20]
20			Unattached	Mutual contract termination	7 September 2021	^[21]
24			Unattached	Mutual contract termination	9 February 2022	^[22]

Contract extensions

No.	Name	Position	Duration	Date	Notes
25		Midfielder	2 years	23 June 2021	^[23]
6		Defender	3 years	2 July 2021	^[24]
19		Right-back	1 year	10 November 2021	^[25]
10		Central midfielder	1 year		^[26] ^[27]
19		Right-back	2 years	6 December 2021	^[28]
10		Central midfielder	1 year	18 February 2022	^[29]
8		Winger	2 years	22 February 2022	^[30]

Competitions

A-League Men

See main article: 2021–22 A-League Men.

Matches

The league fixtures were announced on 23 September 2021.^[31]

Notes:

Finals series

FFA Cup

See main article: 2021 FFA Cup.

Statistics

Appearances and goals

Players with no appearances not included in the list.

No.	Pos.	Nat.	Name	A-League Men		FFA Cup		Total
				Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
1	GK			30	0	1	0	31	0
4	DF			27	3	1	0	28	3
5	DF			11(14)	2	1(1)	0	27	2
6	DF			26(1)	0	1	0	28	0
8	FW			29(1)	4	1	1	31	4
9	FW			12(15)	5	1	0	28	5
10	MF			25(1)	5	1	0	27	5
11	MF			23(3)	3	1	0	27	3
12	DF			0	0	1	0	1	0
16	MF			12(5)	1	0	0	17	1
17	DF			28	2	1	0	29	2
19	DF			19(2)	0	1	0	22	0
23	MF			10	0	1	0	10	0
25	MF			0	0	1	0	1	0
26	FW			1(10)	1	1	0	12	1
27	MF			5(12)	0	1(1)	0	19	0
31	MF			4(12)	2	1	0	17	2
33	DF			0(2)	0	0	0	2	0
34	FW			1(3)	0	1	0	5	0
37	GK			0	0	1	0	1	0
38	FW			0(3)	0	0	0	3	0
39	FW			0	0	0(1)	0	1	0
42	MF			0(4)	0	0	0	4	0
44	DF			18(3)	1	1	0	22	2
55	DF			0	0	1	0	1	0
88	MF			25(1)	0	1	0	27	0
99	FW			24(3)	13	0(1)	1	28	14

Disciplinary record

The list is sorted by squad number when total cards are equal. Players with no cards not included in the list.

Rank				Name	A-League Men			FFA Cup			Total
1	6	DF		<	--A-League Men-->	6	0	1	0	0	0	6	0	1
2	4	DF		<	--A-League Men-->	8	0	0	0	0	0	8	0	0
3	19	DF		<	--A-League Men-->	7	0	0	0	0	0	7	0	0
4	44	DF		<	--A-League Men-->	5	0	0	1	0	0	6	0	0
5	8	FW		<	--A-League Men-->	5	0	0	0	0	0	5	0	0
6	9	FW		<	--A-League Men-->	4	0	0	0	0	0	4	0	0
	88	MF		<	--A-League Men-->	4	0	0	0	0	0	4	0	0
8	10	MF		<	--A-League Men-->	2	0	0	1	0	0	3	0	0
	11	FW		<	--A-League Men-->	3	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	0
	23	MF		<	--A-League Men-->	3	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	0
	99	FW		<	--A-League Men-->	3	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	0
12	26	FW		<	--A-League Men-->	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0
	27	MF		<	--A-League Men-->	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0
13	5	DF		<	--A-League Men-->	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0
	16	MF		<	--A-League Men-->	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0
	17	DF		<	--A-League Men-->	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0
	34	FW		<	--A-League Men-->	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0
	42	MF		<	--A-League Men-->	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0

Clean sheets

width=15		width=15		width=15		width=15		width=145	Name	width=120	A-League	width=120	FFA Cup	width=120	Total
1	1	GK			12	0	12

See also

• 2021–22 in Australian soccer
• List of Western United FC seasons

External links

• Western United official website

Notes and References

1. Web site: Unprecedented look at A-League Men Champions in ‘United’ series. Hughes. Nick. Western United. 30 November 2022.
2. Web site: Western United and Mark Rudan have mutually agreed to part ways. 8 June 2021. Football Australia. Western United FC.
3. Web site: Striker Dylan Wenzel-Halls joins Western United. 21 June 2021. Western United.
4. Web site: Western United bolster squad with Ben Garuccio signing. Western United. 18 July 2021.
5. Web site: Western United strengthen defence with Topor-Stanley capture. Western United. 29 July 2021.
6. News: Socceroos: Football Australia officials hopeful of securing travel bubble for clash against China in Sydney. Marco. Monteverde. The Daily Telegraph. 2 August 2021. United have also secured the services of former A-League goalkeeper of the year Jamie Young following his departure from Brisbane Roar..
7. Web site: Jamie Young joins Western United goalkeeping union. Western United. 4 August 2021.
8. Web site: Western United signs talented youngster Noah Botic. Western United. 2 August 2021.
9. Web site: Western United confirms Neil Kilkenny capture. Western United. 27 August 2021.
10. Web site: Swiss star Leo Lacroix signs with Western United. Western United. 1 September 2021.
11. Web site: Western United signs Slovenian midfielder Rene Krhin. Western United. 26 September 2021.
12. Web site: Western United sign Serbian striker Aleksandar Prijovic. Western United. 15 October 2021.
13. Web site: Western United confirms Christian Theoharous signing. Western United. 1 November 2021.
14. Web site: Burgess heads back to Sydney FC on two-year deal. Dave. Lewis. SBS. The World Game. 23 May 2021.
15. Web site: Max Burgess Returns To Sky Blue. Sydney FC. 6 July 2021.
16. Web site: A-League’s highest appearance-maker Andrew Durante announces retirement from football . A-League . 4 June 2021.
17. Web site: Western United farewell departing players. 18 June 2021. Football Australia. Western United FC.
18. Web site: Western United bids farewell to Besart Berisha. Western United. 18 July 2021.
19. Web site: Brendan Hamill departs Western United. Western United. 26 July 2021.
20. Web site: Melbourne Victory signs Brendan Hamill. Melbourne Victory. 26 July 2021.
21. Web site: Victor Sanchez to depart Western United. Western United. 7 September 2021.
22. Web site: Western United agrees mutual termination with Ayom Majok Ayom. Western United. 9 February 2022.
23. Web site: Western United re-sign young talent Luke Duzel. Western United. 23 June 2021.
24. Web site: Tomoki Imai commits to Western United until 2024. Western United. 2 July 2021.
25. Web site: Alessandro Diamanti and Josh Risdon to lead Western United this season. Western United. 10 November 2021. 10 November 2021. 10 November 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211110104419/https://www.wufc.com.au/news/alessandro-diamanti-and-josh-risdon-lead-western-united-season. dead.
26. News: Lustica backs Aloisi to return Western United to A-League finals. David. Polkinghorne. Western United. 17 July 2021.
27. Web site: Isuzu UTE A-League: Your club’s ins, outs and full squad. Keep Up. 15 November 2021.
28. Web site: Josh Risdon signs multi-year extension. Western United. 6 December 2021.
29. Web site: Steven Lustica signs one-year extension at Western United. Western United. 18 February 2022.
30. Web site: Lachlan Wales pens new two-year deal with Western United. Western United. 22 February 2022.
31. Web site: Western United to host opening round of 2021/22 A-League Season. 23 September 2021. Western United FC. 23 September 2021. 14 November 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211114224446/https://www.wufc.com.au/news/western-united-host-opening-round-202122-a-league-season. dead.