HE is front and centre of the Western Sydney Wanderers, but the club’s skipper Michael Beauchamp is unlikely to feature in tomorrow’s grand final against Brisbane Roar.
Instead, defender Nikolai Topor-Stanley will lead the team out at a packed Suncorp Stadium as the Wanderers search of their first A-League title.
Western Sydney coach Tony Popovic has ruthlessly chopped and changed his match-day squads throughout the season, leaving every player – from the captain to player 23 — unsure of his place in the team each week.
And while it has kept the players guessing, Beauchamp has already indicated that he doesn’t expect to be involved in the club’s biggest game of the season.
Beauchamp was a constant presence in the Wanderers’ backline last season and guided the club to the Premier’s Plate in their inaugural campaign.
But, a year after captaining the Wanderers in last season’s grand final, where they lost 2-0 to the Central Coast Mariners, Beauchamp is unlikely to get a chance to make amends.
The frustration of not playing regularly this season has been difficult for Beauchamp to swallow, but the 33-year-old has been at pains to insist that those disappointments are part and parcel of being a professional footballer.
The central defender has played just 13 A-League games this season and, tellingly, he was left out of last weekend’s semi-final win over the Mariners and the crucial victory over Melbourne Heart before that. He also didn’t play in the Wanderers last game against the Roar, which ended in a 1-1 draw.
In fact, Beauchamp’s last domestic game was against the Central Coast over a month ago.
The reason for Beauchamp’s fall from favour has been the arrival of Matthew Spiranovic, who joined the club at the start of the season.
The 25-year-old has played in the German Bundesliga and in Asia and has formed a solid partnership with Topor-Stanley at the back.
Spiranovic has played 17 games in the A-League this season and his form impressed Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou, who called him into the national team for a friendly match against Uruguay.
It’s not the first time Beauchamp and Spiranovic have battled for the same spot at their club. The two defenders were teammates at FC Nurnberg seven years ago, when the club won the German Cup.
Back then, it was Beauchamp who featured in the starting line-up more often than Spiranovic, but the club’s captain has come to accept the situation.
“Spira is a quality player obviously, but I still feel I’m in good form,” Beauchamp said.
“But I feel alright about it now. I feel if I do get selected for Sunday’s game I’m definitely ready, but if not then hopefully I will get a game in the Asian Champions League.
“Everyone has played a part in getting us to the final, so it’s about the club, not the individual.”
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