IF Nicolas Martinez gives the impression of trying to make up for lost time, it’s because he is.
On the pitch, in training or at home with his family, the Wanderers playmaker has a lot to catch up on.
It’s one of the reasons why Martinez is so desperate to derail the Sydney FC express in Saturday’s derby, and resuscitate Western Sydney’s faltering campaign.
Partly it’s because of the frustrations of the past year, and partly because it’s unclear what the future holds beyond this season.
Which is why Martinez, visibly frustrated at how the Wanderers’ season has gone, will only focus “on what is in front of me”.
And the first part of that is inflicting a first defeat of the season on the Sky Blues at ANZ Stadium, and ending Western Sydney’s three-year wait for a derby triumph.
At least he goes home each day to wife Fabiola and son Thiago, who arrived in Sydney in December — more than seven months after they had to leave him in Greece and went back to Argentina, with his career at Olympiacos in limbo. In a way it still is as he is only on loan at Western Sydney, with another year on his contract with the Greek club to go.
On the pitch, in training or at home with his family, the Wanderers playmaker has a lot to catch up on.
It’s one of the reasons why Martinez is so desperate to derail the Sydney FC express in Saturday’s derby, and resuscitate Western Sydney’s faltering campaign.
Partly it’s because of the frustrations of the past year, and partly because it’s unclear what the future holds beyond this season.
Which is why Martinez, visibly frustrated at how the Wanderers’ season has gone, will only focus “on what is in front of me”.
And the first part of that is inflicting a first defeat of the season on the Sky Blues at ANZ Stadium, and ending Western Sydney’s three-year wait for a derby triumph.
At least he goes home each day to wife Fabiola and son Thiago, who arrived in Sydney in December — more than seven months after they had to leave him in Greece and went back to Argentina, with his career at Olympiacos in limbo. In a way it still is as he is only on loan at Western Sydney, with another year on his contract with the Greek club to go.
“It’s difficult, especially now in my situation,” he said.
“Olympiakos is the owner of my contract but next season I don’t know where I’ll be. Next season it will be hard to return (to Olympiakos) because they don’t want me too much. I will have to wait to see what is my next team, and it is difficult not seeing my family for months but this is part of my career.
“Maybe it’s not so easy but I try to focus on what is in front of me. Now it is playing in the A-League, and wanting to win the grand final. The last three grand finals Western Sydney could not win, I came here for that good challenge and also the ACL.
“I don’t know what my future will be, but I try to make a good season here for me and the team, after that we will see. Until then I don’t think about it.”
Martinez says he has not even spoken of next season with his club, though his skill has made him a crowd favourite.
“Not yet. We are focused on the A-League and the Asian Champions League,” he said.
“Olympiakos is the owner of my contract but next season I don’t know where I’ll be. Next season it will be hard to return (to Olympiakos) because they don’t want me too much. I will have to wait to see what is my next team, and it is difficult not seeing my family for months but this is part of my career.
“Maybe it’s not so easy but I try to focus on what is in front of me. Now it is playing in the A-League, and wanting to win the grand final. The last three grand finals Western Sydney could not win, I came here for that good challenge and also the ACL.
“I don’t know what my future will be, but I try to make a good season here for me and the team, after that we will see. Until then I don’t think about it.”
Martinez says he has not even spoken of next season with his club, though his skill has made him a crowd favourite.
“Not yet. We are focused on the A-League and the Asian Champions League,” he said.
“In this moment we can think only of these — to improve, to win some games. The last three or four games we were good, until the last one, but maybe not with luck. Now we have the derby, the last one of the season possibly though I hope not.
“To win won’t be easy, but we can do it. The atmosphere was amazing last time at ANZ Stadium, and this time we have to win against Sydney because it has been three years. We must be focused, work hard. They are on top of the league, but we are also dangerous. It’s dependent on us I think.
“OK, Sydney FC are the best because the points they have say it. But I have no doubt we can win.
“We must trust in ourselves and put our life in this 95 minutes. (Last Sunday’s loss to the Mariners) cannot happen again, we cannot lose one more game until the end of the season. If you see the statistics, we cannot lose this game — or any more games.”
Originally published as Wanderers star making up for lost time
“To win won’t be easy, but we can do it. The atmosphere was amazing last time at ANZ Stadium, and this time we have to win against Sydney because it has been three years. We must be focused, work hard. They are on top of the league, but we are also dangerous. It’s dependent on us I think.
“OK, Sydney FC are the best because the points they have say it. But I have no doubt we can win.
“We must trust in ourselves and put our life in this 95 minutes. (Last Sunday’s loss to the Mariners) cannot happen again, we cannot lose one more game until the end of the season. If you see the statistics, we cannot lose this game — or any more games.”
Originally published as Wanderers star making up for lost time
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