Western Sydney Wanderers have signed Brandon Borrello to new three-year contract after successful return from Germany

He speaks to Robbie Slater about a momentous few months.

Robbie Slater: I understand it’s been quite a big few days for you.

Brandon Borrello: It’s been a pretty hectic week. Last Saturday I got married after a good three points against Melbourne City and I signed a new contract for three years with the Western Sydney Warriors. My new wife and I are over the moon.

RS: You burst onto the scene at Brisbane Roar, went to Germany and came back to the Wanderers. Is heading abroad again still a possibility?

BB: I went overseas with no regrets. I was extremely happy to be there and I enjoyed my time for the better part of five and a half years. I met my beautiful wife there. I wouldn’t rule anything out in terms of going back to Europe. We could probably see ourselves with a little family over there. But Kristina and I are absolutely buzzing to be here. The (Wanderers) invited us with open arms last year and I had to perform to restart the career. They gave me every (chance) to do that and I guess this is the best way to repay them by locking in for another three years and giving it a good crack.

RS: You suffered a foot injury against Sydney FC that ruled you out of the Asian Cup. Can you talk us through the journey?

BB: It’s a tough one.

I tore my ACL just before the 2018 World Cup. I was pretty much without a club … leading up to the last two camps before the latest World Cup. And then I finally got myself in a good spot for the Asian Cup, and something like this happens. You sort of just have to suck it up. That’s a part of football.

RS: On a positive note, the World Cup qualifiers start again soon and you’re a perfect age for an assault on the next World Cup.

BB: That’s the goal, to get back to the club as soon as possible from injury. And I want to get it right to make sure something like this doesn’t happen again. Our timeline was another three or four weeks, which takes us to 10 or 11 weeks. I’m doing everything at my end. It should give me a nice buffer to get some minutes in before the team gets selected for the next set of World Cup qualifiers, but I can’t look too far ahead.

RS: The timing of the injury must have been incredibly frustrating.

BB: The injury stops you in your tracks a bit. I’ve had a decent amount of time off the park to watch the boys have to chop and change formations and bring young players through. They’re working tirelessly with the boss on the training park to get it right. We want young players to grow and develop at the club and they’re getting the chances they probably didn’t get last year with an older squad. It’s a learning curve but we’re definitely on the right track. We’ve got the right man behind us in Marko Rudan, a very straight shooter and disciplined, which you need with a young group.

RS: How big a role did Rudan play in your decision to re-sign?

BB: He’s been a massive influence. He was very open and honest with me. He said, ‘Brendan, if you perform, we can open the gates for you.’ That’s what’s happened. He lets me take on responsibility and either as a striker or winger he gives me the confidence to play how I want to play. It’s worked out quite well. It was a no-brainer to stay for another three years. We’re over the moon to have three years of stability at the Wanderers.

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RS: You were known mainly as a winger until you got to Wanderers. Do you like the freedom of playing out wide? Or do you not mind this No. 9 role, which you’ve taken on well?

BB: The boss had done his research.

He had seen me in Germany. He knew I had played in the Young Socceroos and the Olympics team as a No. 9. But it was hard to get in the door as a No. 9 at Brisbane Roar with Besart Berisha and then Jamie Maclaren. Macca paved the away in terms of the classic No. 9. He’s not the biggest bloke but scores goals and has that nice movement off the ball. I enjoy coming deep every now and then, so it’s not just operating the line, which will work really well with our new No. 9 Marcus Antonsson. He can command that line and I can do my own thing. I really enjoy it through the middle. At least I’m closer to goal now so I can score a few more.