A-League: Wanderers sign Gary van Egmond as assistant to Carl Robinson

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Scathing allegations about the club’s culture and poor results on the pitch have made for a painful start to the Wanderers’ season.

The Western Sydney Wanderers have recruited former Socceroo Gary van Egmond as an assistant to beleaguered head coach Carl Robinson just one week after two former members of the coaching staff took aim at the club for its “toxic environment”.

In his career, van Egmond has coached as an assistant at the Matildas, led the Newcastle Jets to their only A-League title in the first of two stints with the club and worked with some of Australia’s brightest young prospects in the national under 20 and under 23 sides.

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Van Egmond had been linked with another return to the Jets, but on Monday the Wanderers confirmed he would instead join their ranks immediately.

“Gary has spent over two decades coaching in Australia and brings experience, knowledge, and an unrivalled understanding of the domestic football landscape,” Robinson said.

“Gary is set to play an integral role in our coaching team to not only guide but inspire our next generation of players coming through the Wanderers Academy into the first team, alongside our Wanderers Academy technical director Ian Crook.

“We are all looking forward to working closely with Gary throughout the season and welcome him to the Wanderers.”

Van Egmond’s signing comes a week after Dean Heffernan, who coached the Wanderers’ A-League Women’s side until last season, shared explosive allegations on social media, claiming the club’s general manager of football operations Gavin Costello and chief executive John Tsatsimas had cultivated a “toxic environment” at the Wanderers.

On Twitter, Heffernan blamed the club’s culture for its slow start to the A-League season that has put Robinson under pressure to keep his job.

“JT and Gavin Costello have created the most toxic environment I’ve seen in 20 years of football,” he said.

“(Wanderers chairman and co-owner) 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 (contract) due to the above.”

Patrick Zwaanswijk, who was on the coaching staff in the 2020/21 season, echoed Heffernan’s comments.

“Thank you Dean. I know 100% I wasn’t the only one. We’re both in business now because of it. We will keep our heads up but won’t be silenced anymore. Truth hurts but is healing at the same time,” he wrote on Twitter.

Robinson subsequently hit back, telling AAP that he “loved coming to work” despite the slow start to the season.

“The environment I’m working in at the moment, I love it,” he said.

“I love coming to work and do so with a smile on my face.

“My players do too and have a great camaraderie this year (the likes of) which I’ve seen at very few other clubs.”

Originally published as A-League: Western Sydney Wanderers sign Gary van Egmond one week after ‘toxic environment’ claims



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