Dean Pelekanos

Western Sydney Wanderers FC have today confirmed the signing of midfielder Dean Pelekanos for the upcoming Isuzu UTE A-League season. Pelekanos was formerly part of the Wanderers Academy and was the captain that led the first team to their historic promotion to the National Premier League (NPL) 1 competition. In 2023, Pelekanos made the move from the Red & Black to St George City FA where he played for a year before making the move to Rockdale Ilinden. At Rockdale, Pelekanos won the minor Premiership bringing silverware to Rockdale for the first time in over 40 years and more recently, featured in the NPL NSW Grand Final over the weekend.

Pelekanos is set to represent his local club for the first time in his senior career and said it was a dream come true. "Spending my youth here was amazing, before I signed for the youth team, I was a season ticket holder, went to every game, a huge fan, and being able to spend my youth at the club was a great feeling. This club means everything to me, I was born and raised in Western Sydney, I am just as big a fan now at 23 than I was when I was a child,” said Pelekanos.

“My personal goals are to perform at the highest level on a consistent basis, and make sure to be connected to the fans and community as much as possible, for team goals we obviously want to be in the finals and win trophies, this club is massive and should be competing for trophies every year. It’s what the fans deserve and are wanting, so being competitive and winning as much as possible is what me and all the boys should be wanting, not just for us, but for the whole of Western Sydney”.

Western Sydney Wanderers head coach Alen Stajcic said he was pleased to add Dean’s depth and quality to the squad this season. “It’s great to bring a former Wanderers junior back to the club,” said Stajcic. “Dean has excelled for Rockdale and provides added depth and quality to our midfield stocks.”

A shame he's only getting this crack at 23. I think he's a much more defensively sound player than priestman though maybe on par with the ball at his feet.

Really want to see the kid do well. Never hate seeing an ex academy kid get a return

5 minutes ago, Upthehill said:

A shame he's only getting this crack at 23. I think he's a much more defensively sound player than priestman though maybe on par with the ball at his feet.

Really want to see the kid do well. Never hate seeing an ex academy kid get a return

Never should have been let go in the first place in my opinion. Was very surprised to see he didn't sign for us earlier.

3 hours ago, THEWANDERERSPOST said:

Never should have been let go in the first place in my opinion. Was very surprised to see he didn't sign for us earlier.

that 2021 NPL squad had a ridiculous amount of good defenders.

Russell, Aquilina, Bonetig, Pelekanos, Cancar, Triantis, Carluccio, Natta, Moudakoutas, Wilmering

Pelekanos was the only one of that bunch that wasnt given a decent crack, and in my opinion Pelekanos and Al-Taay were two of the best in that bunch. Al-Taay f--ked off due to reasons with the Irish twat if rumours are to be believed. I'll be happy if we get Al-Taay back but for now I'd like to see Pelekanos overtake Priestman. I reckon he has more of the goods we need

On 11/09/2024 at 12:13 AM, Upthehill said:

that 2021 NPL squad had a ridiculous amount of good defenders.

Russell, Aquilina, Bonetig, Pelekanos, Cancar, Triantis, Carluccio, Natta, Moudakoutas, Wilmering

Pelekanos was the only one of that bunch that wasnt given a decent crack, and in my opinion Pelekanos and Al-Taay were two of the best in that bunch. Al-Taay f--ked off due to reasons with the Irish twat if rumours are to be believed. I'll be happy if we get Al-Taay back but for now I'd like to see Pelekanos overtake Priestman. I reckon he has more of the goods we need

Jog my memory.....who's the Irish twat?

8 minutes ago, MartinTyler said:

Jog my memory.....who's the Irish twat?

Someone in the club management

Gavin Costello

On 12/09/2024 at 7:27 PM, marron said:

Gavin Costello

 

Jeez I never thought he was that powerful. What exactly was his role?

23 hours ago, MartinTyler said:

Jeez I never thought he was that powerful. What exactly was his role?

He was and still is Director of Operations/Football. Can't see his profile any more though, he blocked me on linkedin when I looked at his profile after liking a public comment from Shannon Cole. He's been somewhat castrated at the club since Rudan got there. Under JT, Gavin had free reign to absolutely ruin the club.

Dean Heffernan was coaching at the club in 2021. He said - “It’s because JT (CEO John Tsatsimas) and Gavin Costello (general manager of football operations) have created the most toxic environment I’ve seen in 20 years of football. Paul Lederer wouldn’t be aware of what goes on. How can 60-odd players and 4 coaches over 5 years be wrong. I rejected a 3rd year due to the above.”

Dean Heffernan, Micky Beauchamp, and Patrick Zwaanswijk all walked away from the club in the space of 6 months. PZ hated football so much after that he quit football all together and got into selling construciton fit outs. He did eventually go to coaching in the NPL but he was a huge loss for the club. Both MB and PZ have spoken to various reputable sources who have confirmed Gavin Costello is a major issue. These 3 guys all knew what it meant to run successful clubs and none of them wanted a bar of Wanderers

Eddie Bosnar apparently very much disliked Gavin but simply couldnt do anything about him.

Mo Al-Taay's father cited both JT and Gavin Costello as being the cause of major cultural issues and decided to convince Mo to move. The culture was so bad he didn't have another club lined up when he left. This story I can't verify but I've heard it from a few people now. PZ was very sure that the huge turn over at the club was directly linked to JT and Gavin being at the helm

It's still so so disappointing that we lost Heffernan, Beauchamp, and Zwaanswijk and Mo Al-Taay.  

Yes but we have you back so that's a plus

On 15/09/2024 at 4:13 PM, Upthehill said:

Mo Al-Taay's father cited both JT and Gavin Costello as being the cause of major cultural issues and decided to convince Mo to move. The culture was so bad he didn't have another club lined up when he left. This story I can't verify but I've heard it from a few people now. PZ was very sure that the huge turn over at the club was directly linked to JT and Gavin being at the helm

Pretty sure you're talking about Ali Auglah. Mo went straight from us to the jets. Before he signed with the BUlls, i'm pretty sure PZ said he was lost to football.